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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23807632">Abandoned</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCapasso/pseuds/JCapasso'>JCapasso</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lucifer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:09:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>40,945</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23807632</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCapasso/pseuds/JCapasso</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Starts at the end of 3x10 when Lucifer figures out who Cain is. Only there's more to the story than they know. Cain has a secret...and a very good reason for hating Lucifer.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chloe Decker/Marcus Pierce, Ella Lopez/Lucifer Morningstar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>143</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>165</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have no idea where this idea came from, but as soon as it popped in my head I had to do it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucifer turned his back on the temporarily dead man, and took a sip of his drink, waiting for him to come back to life. Once it finally happened, he knew that he was right. “I wonder why I didn’t figure it out sooner. The world’s first murderer. Marked by god and doomed to walk the earth alone for a tortured eternity,” Lucifer drawled as Pierce picked himself up off the floor and pulled the knife out of his chest. “It’s quite the moniker. Still, nowhere near as ridiculous as ‘the sinnerman’. Wouldn’t you agree, Cain?”</p><p>Cain pulled himself to his feet shakily. He really should have expected that, but he had let his guard down. Again. He staggered over to the barstool and plopped down, leaving the bloody knife on the bar. “You may as well pour me one too.” Lucifer did as requested and he said, “Thanks for the drink.”</p><p>“Figured it’s the least I could do. After all, I am the reason you’re leaking all over my floor.” Cain gave him a look that said he wasn’t going to argue with that. “Well, we have so much to talk about Cain.Or do you prefer Mr. Cain? Make it more official.”</p><p>“Let’s just stick with Pierce,” he grunted, suddenly wondering how much, if anything, Lucifer knew about him, but he hated the idea of him using the name that his mother had given him. She was the only one who had ever actually cared about him and it was an insult to her for Lucifer to use that name. </p><p>“Very well. Why all the games Pierce?”</p><p>“No games,” Pierce told him, trying to resist the urge to punch him out. </p><p>“Oh really, now you’ll claim your arrival on my doorstep simply coincidence,” Lucifer said skeptically. </p><p>“No. I’m the one who had you knocked out and left in the desert,” Pierce admitted, feeling a great sense of satisfaction for that. He’d deserved that and so much more. He only wished he could have done it himself.</p><p>“I see,” Lucifer said as though it explained so much. </p><p>“That’s all I did,” he added. </p><p>“So you’re going to blame everything else on your eyeless stooge?”</p><p>“He wasn’t a stooge. He was my right-hand man,” Pierce said with irritation. </p><p>“Until you shot him dead. Excellent way to repay his loyalty by the way,” Lucifer said sarcastically as he took another sip of his drink. </p><p>Pierce looked away. Lucifer would never know how much that had hurt him. “He went rogue. I have no idea why he did what he did.” It was only a partial lie. He had been the only person who knew his greatest secret and he assumed that was why he went after Lucifer so hard. “That’s why I had to take him out.” </p><p>Lucifer rolled his eyes as he refilled his drink before tossing Pierce another stack of napkins. “You know, for an immortal you really do bleed a lot don’t you?” </p><p>“Yeah. I’m still part human. I still feel all the pain that comes with death. Just the wounds heal,” he explained. </p><p>“Oh, sounds like a bitch,” Lucifer said with false sympathy.</p><p>“Yeah, well, I don’t have to tell you what sort of sick sense of humor your father has.”</p><p>“Which is why I’m surprised that you’re working with him,” Lucifer said. “There’s no use denying it. I know you gave be back my wretched wings, and took away my devil face so tell me. What did he offer you in return? And what do you mean /part/ human?” </p><p>Pierce stood up, eye to eye with Lucifer and said sternly. “I would never work for your father. And I had nothing to do with your wings or your devil face.”</p><p>“I don’t believe you,” Lucifer said harshly. “And you didn’t answer my other question.” </p><p>“I don’t care,” Pierce snapped. “Now, after being stabbed and killing the closest thing I had to a friend, I’ve had a long day.”</p><p>He went to leave, but Lucifer grabbed him. “Where do you think you’re going? You can’t just walk out on me.”</p><p>“Or what? You’ll kill me?” he said sarcastically before jerking away and heading for the door. “Payback’s a bitch.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lucifer called after him. </p><p>“Figure it out,” Pierce said heatedly. “Here’s a hint. It’s not the mark that makes me immortal. The curse just makes me bleed and feel pain,” he said as the door closed behind him.</p><p>Lucifer looked after him, more confused than he’d started, but he somehow got the feeling that Pierce hated him for some reason other than the obvious. He sat down at the bar as he turned it over in his head trying to figure out why. It wasn’t that Lucifer had anything against being hated. He was the devil after all. He just usually knew why they hated him. What had he meant when he said that the mark didn’t make him immortal? He was human, so there was no other way…wait. He had said that he was part human. Which would mean he was part immortal. Which would mean…</p><p>Lucifer’s brain shut down as it dawned on him. He’d been banished to hell for messing around with Eve. Cain’s mother. He was only part human…Lucifer felt the bile rise in his throat as his hands started shaking and his drink clattered to the floor shattering the glass. When the bloody knife and blood-soaked napkins caught his eye, that was the last straw and he had his first ever experience with vomiting as he fell to his knees. </p><p>He truly could have lived the rest of existence without that experience, but at the same time it was nothing compared to the cause behind it. His son. He had a son and had…had abandoned him. Just like his father had done. He had…stabbed him…put him through so much pain…he was just like his own father. He was everything that he swore that he would never be. He managed to crawl a few feet away from the mess before he couldn’t move anymore and his forehead met the smooth cold floor as he moaned in agony. He’d never thought he could hate himself more than he already did. He had been so wrong. </p><p>Lucifer had no idea how long he’d laid there before he managed to pull himself to his feet, still shaking, and somehow made it up to the penthouse and set to getting blitzed out of his mind. It took a few phone calls for delivery of much more drugs than he had on hand, and if it killed him…well it was no less than he deserved. Not that it could kill him. He didn’t think anyway. Unless the detective showed up. Maybe he should call her. No. He wouldn’t go that far. Let fate fall where it may. He didn’t even care anymore. </p><p>The only other time he’d felt even remotely like this was after Uriel, but that was…was paradise compared to this. His guilt was so completely overwhelming and he just had to make it stop. He couldn’t deal with it. He had no idea how long he’d been lost in it when he heard the elevator. “Detective!” he said with mock happiness. “How nice of you to join me? Would you like a drink? Or a line or two?” he gestured to the cocaine still sitting out on the table. </p><p>“Lucifer what the hell is wrong with you? You haven’t been to work for a week. Pierce is threatening to have you fired and you’re…what? On a bender?” Chloe asked incredulously. </p><p>“Has it been that long?” Lucifer slurred, staggering a bit as he grabbed another bottle, having given up on the glasses days ago. </p><p>Chloe grabbed the bottle from his hand and set it down on the bar with a heavy thunk. “What is going on?” she asked, as much worried as upset. </p><p>“What’s going on?” Lucifer asked with a half-crazed laugh. “What’s going on is that I’m my father, detective. All these years and all the promises I made to myself and I did it anyway. Abandonment, abuse, whatever…let’s just tick off the boxes shall we?” He plopped down on the soft and did another two lines of cocaine before going to snatch the bottle back, having to grab onto the piano as the room spun around him. </p><p>“What are you talking about?” she asked, moving over to steady him and try to get him back to the couch. She had never seen him this bad off and her worry grew even more. </p><p>Lucifer just jerked away from her and managed to grab the bottle from the bar. “You wouldn’t understand,” Lucifer slurred. “You never do.” </p><p>“Then help me understand, Lucifer,” she said helplessly. “Talk to me.”</p><p>“No. There’s no point. And since you’re being here obviously isn’t helping, you might as well go,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“Not yet. First you need to take a shower and then get some sleep. When’s the last time you slept anyway?” </p><p>“Who cares,” Lucifer snapped, turning up the bottle only for it to be snatched from his hands. </p><p>“I do, Lucifer. And I’m not leaving until you go take a shower and go to sleep,” Chloe said sternly. When Lucifer opened his mouth to protest, she used her best mom voice and said, “Now!” </p><p>Lucifer sighed but did as he was told. The sooner she left the sooner he could get back to forgetting. He stumbled to the shower and cleaned up quickly, using the stabilizing bar to hold himself up and threw on a fresh pair of sleep pants before crawling into bed. He would just lay here and pretend to sleep until she left. It didn’t work that way though. He actually did fall asleep within minutes and thus didn’t hear her cleaning up the penthouse before she left.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Chloe got to the precinct only to hear a barked, “Decker! My office!” Chloe sighed and headed to Pierce’s office, ready for another interrogation about Lucifer. Sure enough as soon as she closed the door behind her, he asked, “Have you heard from your partner? Does he still want his job or not?” </p><p>Chloe winced, and nodded. “I’m sure that he does. He’s just…going through something right now.”</p><p>Pierce scoffed. “Like what?” </p><p>“I’m not sure really. He was…kind of a mess. Kept going on about being just like his father and something about abandonment and abuse and I have no idea what he was talking about, but it’s clear that he’s in some kind of pain. Just…give him a little time. Please,” she all but begged. She knew how much this job meant to him and losing it could be the thing that sends him completely over the edge, even more than he already was. </p><p>Pierce was taken aback a bit at that, but it just solidified the decision he’d already made. “Whatever. I’m leaving at the end of the week anyway, so I’ll just let the next lieutenant deal with it. In the meantime, you can partner with Espinoza.” </p><p>“You’re leaving? Already?” she asked. </p><p>“Finished my unfinished business. No point in staying,” he told her. He’d tested his theory about her and gotten rid of the ‘sinnerman’ and could just let the whole thing retire now. It never got him what he wanted anyway. Not to mention the fact that Lucifer was apparently avoiding him now, so he might as well uncomplicate both their lives. </p><p>“Right. Okay,” Chloe said with a nod, not sure how she felt about him leaving, but deciding not to worry about it right now and just be grateful that Lucifer still had a job. </p><p>When Pierce finished up for the night he headed for Lux to let Lucifer know in person that he was leaving and didn’t want or need anything from him. When he didn’t see Lucifer downstairs, he headed up to the penthouse, raising an eyebrow when he noticed that it was almost completely dark. He soon spotted Lucifer sitting sideways on the couch, knees pulled up to his chest with his head resting on them and his hands fisting in his hair. “Not in the mood to talk, detective,” Lucifer said brokenly without looking up. </p><p>“I’m not Decker,” Pierce said simply, not sure what to make of this situation. </p><p>Lucifer’s head snapped up so fast he was surprised it didn’t fly off his shoulders. “Ca-Pierce…” he breathed out. </p><p>Pierce sucked in a sharp breath as he got a look at Lucifer’s face, feeling a pang of…something…in his chest at the sight of the red rimmed and bloodshot eyes, the teartracks smudged down his face, and the way his hair was sticking out in all directions. “I…I just wanted to let you know…I’ll be leaving town at the end of the week, so…”</p><p>“No!” Lucifer cried jumping to his feet and grabbing his shoulders. “No, please…” he begged. “I…I need answers.” </p><p>“/You/ need answers?” he scoffed. “Okay. Fine. Do your thing,” Pierce said, looking him firmly in the eyes. </p><p>“What?” Lucifer asked confused. </p><p>Pierce reached up and gripped his chin tightly. “Ask me,” he growled. </p><p>“What do you desire?” Lucifer asked, letting his power flow free, not noticing the moment that his son was ensnared by it. </p><p>“I want…to die,” he said. </p><p>“To…to die,” Lucifer said as a fresh well of tears appeared in his eyes. His son wanted to die more than anything else. “Be-because of me,” he whispered self-accusatory.</p><p>“It has nothing to do with you,” Pierce said shoving him away, harder than he intended and Lucifer landed on the coffee table and rolled to the floor. </p><p>“Then why…why are you here?” Lucifer asked. </p><p>“Nope. My turn for answers now,” Pierce said. </p><p>“I’ll tell you anything you wish to know,” Lucifer vowed as he got up off the floor. He owed him that much at least. </p><p>“Why are you acting like you didn’t know?” he asked. </p><p>“Because I didn’t,” Lucifer told him honestly. </p><p>“I thought the devil never lied,” Pierce scoffed angrily. </p><p>“I don’t,” Lucifer said, forcing himself to keep his temper. </p><p>“Mom prayed to you every day. She told me. I…I prayed to you and you never…you knew,” Pierce said with conviction. </p><p>Lucifer sank down on the couch and put his head in his hands as he shook it. “No. I didn’t. I…I don’t get prayers anymore. Not since I was cast out of heaven and thrown into hell. It’s…it’s one of the things that they took from me.” </p><p>Pierce felt himself softening at that. Just a little bit. And he hated it. “And you couldn’t have come back? Even just for a little while? Even just to see how she was doing?” If he had then he would have found out then. </p><p>“No,” Lucifer shook his head. “I couldn’t. When…when they cast me down there I…I was hurt. Badly. I was thrown in a pit of hellfire. I…by the time I was healed enough to do anything she was long dead and I never knew about…about you. That you were…were mine. I never even managed to find my way out of hell at all until a few hundred years ago and then I never got to stay for more than a week or two before Amenadiel kept sending me back.” Lucifer lifted his head to look seriously at Cain, tears dripping down his cheeks again. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. If I had known…”</p><p>“Would anything have been different?” he cut in skeptically. </p><p>“Yes!” Lucifer told him. “I would have tried harder…fought harder to get out…to get to you. I would have…I would have done anything, everything, to find you.”</p><p>Pierce forced himself to look away. “Whatever. Too little too late. I just came to let you know that I’m leaving so you won’t have to worry about avoiding me anymore,” he said as he started to walk back to the elevator.</p><p>“No, wait!” Lucifer got up and lunged after him. “P-please. Don’t go,” he said as he lifted a hand to his son’s cheek. “Please…just…just give me a chance.”</p><p>Pierce closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. There was a time he would have given anything for this. Even a hundred years ago, he might have folded. Now though…there was too much. He’d done too much. Gone too far. He just shrugged Lucifer away and turned back to the elevator, pressing the button. </p><p>“I’ll help you break your curse,” Lucifer said desperately. He refused to let his son die, he wouldn’t help him with that, but he could break the curse that made him feel so much pain. </p><p>The elevator door opened, but Pierce didn’t step in. He didn’t move at all until the doors were closing again and he turned around. “Why?” </p><p>“Be-because you don’t deserve it,” Lucifer told him. </p><p>“You don’t know what I deserve,” he snapped. “You don’t know /me/.” </p><p>Lucifer pulled himself up so that he was standing straight and sure. “I know that you’re my son,” he said the words aloud for the first time. “And I will do /anything/ to spare you any amount of pain I can, even if it means taking it on myself.” </p><p>That was the last straw, and Pierce turned around and hit the button for the elevator, stepping in this time without another word, and as soon as the doors closed behind him, Lucifer crumpled, barely making it back to the couch, and returning to his previous position as a fresh wave of failure washed over him. He was just glad that he’d somehow managed to get his devil face back. At least now he could actually be the monster he felt like he was. </p><p> </p><p>Pierce made it to his car and just sat there for a long moment, shaking hands on the steering wheel trying to force himself to leave. The little boy inside of him that never wanted anything more than his father’s love and acceptance…or even his presence…was begging him to go back up there and take everything that Lucifer was offering him. He wasn’t that little boy anymore though. He hadn’t been for a very long time and that desire had all but died out over the thousands of years he’d been walking the earth. He tried to convince himself that it had at least.</p><p>Eventually, he managed to calm down and drive away, forcing all thoughts of his father from his mind. He’d come here to die, hoping that the detective that made the devil bleed could help him do that. He did NOT come here for a reconciliation with his absent father.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few days later, Pierce was packing up his desk when he realized that he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t just walk away. He’d been fighting it ever since he talked to Lucifer, and the little boy inside of him won. At least a little bit. He wasn’t going to make it easy though. He would give him a chance to make good on his promise at least. He unpacked the box again and rescinded his transfer request before heading to Lucifer’s since Lucifer still hadn’t been into work. </p><p>Lucifer looked like he’d barely moved in the three days since Pierce saw him last, but this time he looked up when the elevator opened, and Pierce hated that spark of hope that lit in his eyes for a moment before he looked back down. “Come to say goodbye?” he asked sadly. </p><p>“You realize that if you manage to break the curse, I do have access to some hellforged blades that will be able to kill me then right?” </p><p>Lucifer sighed sadly, “I assumed as much.” </p><p>“And you’re okay with that?” he asked, realizing that he might just have been right all along. Lucifer didn’t care. </p><p>“Okay with it? No. Of course not. You’re my son and I don’t want you to die,” Lucifer told him. “But if it’s truly what you desire more than anything else in this world, I won’t stand in your way either. You’ve earned your rest and the right to make your own decision. Just please don’t ask me to help you with that part.”</p><p>Pierce looked at him through narrowed eyes, gauging his sincerity before nodding. “And if I were to ask you to be there? Tell you that I didn’t want to die alone?” </p><p>Tears welled up in Lucifer’s eyes again as he swallowed around the lump in his throat. “Then I would do it no matter how much it tore me apart, and it would.” </p><p>“Well you’re in luck. I don’t care about dying alone,” Pierce said. “How are you going to break the curse?” </p><p>“You’re going to stick around and let me?” Lucifer asked, that spark of hope back in his eyes. </p><p>“For now. Yes,” he said. </p><p>Lucifer’s lips twitched into an almost smile. “Well, let’s do some brainstorming then. Drink?” he asked as he got up and headed to the bar. Pierce sat down and nodded, and Lucifer came back with a drink for them both. “Okay, what have you tried already?” Pierce sighed and started rattling off a list and Lucifer cut him off after the first few things. He couldn’t stand the idea of how painful those things must have been. “I mean to break the curse. Not to die.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t even know where to begin breaking a curse,” he told him. </p><p>“Okay. I’ll think on it then,” Lucifer told him. When Pierce realized that he didn’t have any ideas either he started to get up to leave, but Lucifer said, “Stay? Please?” </p><p>“I’m not really up for the whole sharing and caring thing, Lucifer,” he said curtly. </p><p>“Okay. I get that. How about a question and answer thing then?” Lucifer asked. “I’m sure you must have questions about me, so a question for a question.” </p><p>Pierce knew he was going to regret this, but huffed and sat back down. “Fine.” </p><p>“Was Adam good to you? Did he raise you well?” Lucifer asked. </p><p>“That’s two questions,” Pierce said with grit teeth. “But, no. My turn. Why did you leave heaven?” </p><p>“It was boring,” Lucifer told him. If he wanted to play that game, Lucifer could play too. </p><p>“That’s not really an answer,” Pierce told him. </p><p>“Neither was yours,” Lucifer pointed out. “I’d be happy to start over if you want?” he asked slightly smug. </p><p>“Fine. Adam was an asshole. According to Mom he was fine until I was about a year old and my wings started growing in which is when he figured out that I wasn’t his, but I don’t remember back that far.” </p><p>“What did he do to you?” Lucifer asked dangerously. </p><p>“Nope. Your turn for a real answer,” Pierce told him, despite knowing that question was going to come back up next time. He wanted to make sure that Lucifer was actually going to honor the spirit of their little game before going any deeper. </p><p>“Fair enough. It /was/ boring. The same thing day in and day out. The same routines all the time. Paradise isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. A bigger reason though was free will. We didn’t have it and I wanted it. I wanted to be my own person instead of an obedient drone like all my siblings, so I found the humans. Your mother in particular and she showed me how great life could be and I didn’t want to give it up.” When Pierce nodded in acceptance of the answer, Lucifer asked, “Now mine. What did he do to you?” </p><p>“Not much, really. I was more resilient than humans so when he tried to beat me it never did any good so he gave up on that pretty quick. I was shunned and talked down to and he intentionally favored Abel over me and made sure that I knew it, but that just made Mom favor me more which pissed him off even more. He yelled a lot and called me names, but never had the power to hurt me.” </p><p>“That kind of thing hurts worse though,” Lucifer told him before he could ask another question. </p><p>Pierce just shrugged at that. He was long over it. At least as over it as he could get. “Did you love her?” </p><p>Lucifer sighed sadly. “I cared for her a great deal, but love? No. I didn’t even understand that kind of love back then. It wasn’t something that existed for us. I wanted to stay with her though. I would have stayed with her for the rest of her life if I had been allowed to, especially once you came into the picture.” Pierce could accept that so Lucifer asked his next question. “What happened with your brother?” </p><p>“Abel was never my brother,” Pierce snapped. “We shared a mother, but that was the extent of our relationship. He hated me as much as I hated him. He did everything he could to hurt me from the moment he was old enough to. I still didn’t mean to kill him though. He had me pinned down, kneeling on my wings so I couldn’t move and was strangling me. I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on which happened to be a rock and hit him in the head. I didn’t realize how hard I hit him until he stopped breathing. I didn’t even know death was a thing. No one had ever died before so it was a completely foreign concept. What happened when you fell?” He asked his question quickly so that Lucifer couldn’t say anything about his story. </p><p>Lucifer got that he didn’t want to talk about it, but still felt the need to say, “It wasn’t your fault Cain. It was an accident.” </p><p>“Just answer the question,” he said irritated. </p><p>“Father found out that I was messing around with the humans and he was pissed. I don’t know if he knew about you or not at the time, but he might have. It might be why he reacted as strongly as he did. But anyway, he yelled at me for a while, not even giving me a chance to defend myself, before he threw me into the pit. I…I was trapped in the fire and molten lava for what seemed like millennia, but was actually only a few years before a demon found me and fished me out. My entire body, wings included, were burnt to a crisp. She nursed me back to health and it was nearly a hundred years after that before I was able to even move.” He gave Pierce a chance to comment before asking his next question. </p><p>“Yeah, I tried throwing myself in a volcano once. I know it’s not the same as hellfire, but six months regrowing my skin was a nightmare,” Pierce said, finally starting to feel a little sympathy for the devil. </p><p>“Did you ever marry? Have children?” Lucifer asked. </p><p>“Marry? Yes. Children? No. I always assumed that it was because I wasn’t human or maybe the curse sterilized me, I don’t know,” Pierce told him. When Lucifer looked at him expectantly, wanting more he sighed. “I was married four times. Amaya who I met in what’s currently Spain back in 4320 BC. We were married for twenty years before she died of old age…” he continued with information about his other three wives before asking, “Why do you care so much?” He had spent so long with the idea of the cruel devil for a father who didn’t care about anyone but himself. </p><p>“Because you’re mine,” Lucifer said seriously. “I swore to myself that if I ever had children that I wouldn’t become my father. That I would be there and raise them with love and kindness and /never/ throw them away no matter what they did. I’ve failed miserably so far and I can never make up for that, but I will never stop trying to.”</p><p>“So this is all just to assuage your guilt?” Pierce scoffed. </p><p>“No,” Lucifer said seriously, reaching his hand to his son’s chin and turning him to look at him. “It’s because you are my son and I love you. I’ve missed far too much of your life and I want nothing more than to get to know you and be a part of your life in any way I can.” Pierce felt the tears welling up in his eyes and slapped his father’s hand away and looked back towards the bar. Lucifer could tell that he needed some distance from his emotions so he asked his next question, not caring that Cain had gotten two. “Why the sinnerman?” </p><p>“Why did I choose that name?” Pierce asked. </p><p>“No. Why the whole thing? Why the criminal empire, the murders, all of it,” Lucifer asked. </p><p>Pierce sighed and didn’t look back at him as he answered barely audible, “Because you punish evil.” An hour ago he would never have considered answering that question at all, but Lucifer caught him at a weak moment.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You were trying to get my attention,” Lucifer figured out and Pierce nodded, still looking away. Lucifer reached out a hand to his shoulder. “Well you have it now,” he said softly. “But I’m not going to punish you, Cain.”</p><p>Pierce spun to look at him, confused. “Why?” he asked, tears still shining in his eyes. </p><p>“Because you’re not evil,” Lucifer told him. “You were lashing out trying to get the attention of a father you thought abandoned you. It doesn’t make it right, and I will ask you to stop, but like I said, I will never throw you away, no matter what you do.” </p><p>“I…kinda already retired,” Pierce admitted. “But not because of you,” he added quickly. </p><p>Lucifer’s lips twitched in a smile. “No, of course not,” he said as sincerely as he could manage which seemed to be good enough. “Why did you come here?” </p><p>“Because I heard about a detective that somehow made the devil bleed. I thought she could do the same for me,” Pierce told him. “I thought she could be the key to letting me die. That’s why I had you kidnapped and left in the desert, but then your wings came back and you got back early.” </p><p>“You intentionally put the detective in danger back at that ranch didn’t you?” Lucifer asked disapprovingly. </p><p>“Yes. But it didn’t work. Even with her right next to me, I survived.” </p><p>“Please don’t do that again,” Lucifer asked. </p><p>“Seriously? That’s it? I kill people, I put someone you obviously care about in mortal danger, I run an entire criminal empire and all you’ve got is ‘don’t do it again’?” he asked incredulously. </p><p>Lucifer shifted his hand from his son’s shoulder so that he could run a thumb over his cheek. He knew that he was too old for this kind of affection, but he’d missed so much that he couldn’t help it. “As far as I’m concerned, as of this moment, we’re starting from a clean slate. Nothing you’ve done in the past will be held against you.”</p><p>“If you’re expecting the same from me…” </p><p>“I’m not,” Lucifer assured him. “Not unless you want to give it. I know that I’ve hurt you a great deal and you can’t just get over that in one conversation.”</p><p>“How about a deal,” Pierce said. “I’ll give you a chance if you get off your ass and get back to work before I’m forced to fire you.” He was very careful not to say anything about forgiving him, but giving him a chance was vague and non-committal enough. </p><p>Lucifer barked a laugh. “Yes sir, Mr. boss man sir,” he said as he gave a mocking salute. </p><p>“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Bright and early,” Pierce said getting up and heading for the elevator before he ended up giving Lucifer a chance to break down more of his walls. </p><p>Lucifer wished he could have had more time, but considered himself lucky to get what he did, so let him go without complaint. Once he was alone again, Lucifer hit the shower, put on a nice suit, and headed downstairs to play a set before finding someone to pick up. He hadn’t been much up for sex lately, so was in rather dire need now that his spirits were somewhat lifted. He did remember Pierce’s admonishment though and made sure to set an alarm for ‘bright and early’. </p><p>The next morning he headed into the precinct with bit of a spring in his step. Just showing up lived up to his end of the deal so Pierce had to live up to his now. “Lucifer! You’re back. Are you…you know…okay now?” Chloe asked, giving him a once over. </p><p>“Perfectly fine, detective. Problem solved. Well, as solved as it’s going to get for a while at least,” Lucifer assured her, craning his neck looking for Pierce. </p><p>“Who are you looking for?” Chloe asked confused. </p><p>“Our dear lieutenant,” Lucifer told her. “He ordered me to be here on time after all.” </p><p>Chloe’s eyes widened. “He went to see you?” she asked in shock. “Personally?” </p><p>Lucifer nodded. “That he did. We had a nice little chat…ah here he is,” Lucifer noticed him coming down the stairs and waved. </p><p>Pierce just rolled his eyes as he nodded and headed to his office. “You didn’t…sleep with him did you?” Chloe asked worriedly. </p><p>“What?” Lucifer snapped around to look at her with a disgusted look on his face. “Dear Dad no. Absolutely not. Will never /ever/ happen.” </p><p>“Okay,” Chloe said with a laugh holding her hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Forget I asked.” </p><p>“Yes. I think I will, thank you,” Lucifer said with a shudder before changing the subject. “Do we have a case?” </p><p>“Yes, actually. I started working one yesterday and I was just about to check in on Ella and see what she’s got. Come on. I’ll brief you on the way,” Chloe told him, heading upstairs to find Pierce already there. When they realized that they needed a couple to go undercover, Chloe said, “Well I can’t. They already know me there as a cop.” </p><p>“But they don’t know me. All I need is another for a couple. Lieutenant?” Lucifer suggested with a glint of mischief in his eye. </p><p>Pierce gaped at him for a second. “You want /me/ to go undercover as your /husband/?” </p><p>“Well it’s not as if we’ll be challenged to PDAs to prove our claim is it?” Lucifer pointed out. “I’m sure we can manage to get along well enough to fool a few soccer moms.” </p><p>Pierce sighed. “Fine. But I am NOT kissing you for any reason, case or not.” </p><p>“You’ll get no argument’s from me on that score,” Lucifer assured him. He’d been part of an undercover couple enough to know that it wasn’t actually necessary or he would never have suggested it in the first place. The thought was almost enough to make him vomit again and that was an experience that he would rather not repeat. </p><p>That afternoon they were moving into their new temporary home. They had barely been there for half an hour before there was another couple at the door bring a casserole to welcome them. Lucifer smiled and put his arm around Pierce’s shoulder after he called him to the door, knowing that it was probably the closest thing he would get to a hug from his son for quite a while if ever. Lucifer wasted no time inviting them to dinner to get the scoop on the neighborhood. </p><p>Lucifer popped the casserole in the oven to reheat it and as he was pulling it out, he noticed Pierce getting out the place settings. “Plastic plates? What are we, barbarians? Don’t we have any china in there?”</p><p>“You know this isn’t real right?” Pierce told him, not wanting him to think this whole buddy buddy thing was going to be a new normal or anything. “You realize this is just for the case.” </p><p>“This is my chance to really get to know you, Pierce. I’m taking it seriously and so should you. If nothing else, for the case,” Lucifer said, trying not to be hurt by the statement. “So let’s just get out there and give them a good show, shall we? Just don’t give them your resting Pierce face,” he joked. </p><p>Dinner ended up being rather stilted, but they got a lead. Pierce couldn’t help but snort as Lucifer told Chloe, “No one’s a worse neighbor than the devil.” </p><p>Thankfully, Pierce managed to stay inside for the most part as Lucifer wound everyone up, especially since he had no desire to see his father in a speedo. Especially not when he was pretending to be his husband. He drew the line when he was woken up at 4 am by the sound of a power saw and unplugged it. “Can we just finish this in the morning?” he asked hopefully. </p><p>“We? You’re barely involved. I thought this was supposed to be about you and I spending time together.”</p><p>“No.” Pierce said. “No, no. This is about catching a killer.” Leave it to Lucifer to be given an inch and taking a mile. </p><p>“You just need to open up to me,” Lucifer said impatiently. </p><p>“That won’t solve anything,” Pierce snapped. He was very glad when their argument was interrupted by Chloe arresting someone and they both ran outside to see who it was. Just when he thought it was over, they were informed that he wasn’t the killer and they had to go back undercover. At least it was only long enough for a dinner party. Hopefully. Otherwise he might add patricide to his list of crimes along with fratricide.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If anyone is worried, this episode will absolutely NOT be ending the same way as in the show. That's way too squick for me. Even the undercover part is borderline, but I liked the idea of them getting closer that way, so it stayed.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pierce tuned out most of Lucifer’s rant about the correct placement of food, but when he said, “Why do I feel like I’m the only one putting any effort into anything?” he had to respond. </p><p>“Probably because you’re everything about you.” </p><p>“Me?” Lucifer asked incredulously. “In case you’ve forgotten, I am doing this for you.” </p><p>“Really?” Pierce scoffed. </p><p>“Yes, really, and if you’re not committed then there’s no point to us even being here.”</p><p>“The only reason I’m here is because I have to be,” Pierce snapped. “Everything else is just an empty promise. You have no idea what you’re doing.” </p><p>“I beg your pardon,” Lucifer asked, trying to push the hurt away at his son’s words. </p><p>“You say you’re a man of your word, but you’re not.” </p><p>Lucifer couldn’t take anymore and made a strategic retreat. He was absolutely not going to let Pierce see him cry. Not again. </p><p>“Lucifer!” Chloe ran after him. “What the hell are you guys doing back there? This is a sting. You can’t just leave in the middle of it.”</p><p>“I just…can’t be around him right now,” he said stripping his vest off to fiddle with it since he had nothing else on him to fiddle with and keeping his hands busy was the best way to keep his mind and his emotions from going too haywire. </p><p>“Lucifer, sometimes when we go undercover, things get real. People get on each other’s nerves, but here’s the thing. You can’t change your partner,” she told him. </p><p>“Tell me about it,” Lucifer said, finally managing to will the tears away, not that his heart felt much better. </p><p>Chloe moved in front of him to get him to stop walking. “Okay, as hard as it is right now, I need you to stick it out until the job’s done. Pierce is never gonna be the guy that cares about where the hummus is or whatever, but he does care about what matters, like solving this case. He can’t do it without you and he knows that.”</p><p>“Does he?” Lucifer asked skeptically, talking about more than just the case, not that the detective understood that. </p><p>“Yes. He does. So please, get back in there and get those signatures. </p><p>Lucifer took a deep breath as he said, “Right.” He turned back around and put his vest back on as he headed back to the party. He walked up just in time to see Pierce moving the food around on the table and he couldn’t help the ghost of a smile. Apparently, some part of him still wanted approval. He’d been there long enough himself with his own father. He could work with that. “You moved the nachos,” he pointed out, wanting to see if Pierce would admit it. </p><p>“Well yeah, I didn’t want anyone to spill salsa into the macaroni,” Pierce said, trying to make it seem like no big deal. Lucifer finished the statement with him though because it was a big deal. At least to Lucifer. It may be a tiny step, but it was a step. “I wasn’t sure you were coming back,” Pierce said, trying to make it seem like it was the case that was worrying him. He knew how much Lucifer’s honor meant to him and challenging that was never going to be a good thing. </p><p>Lucifer could see the truth in his eyes telling him what he was really worried about though and it had far less to do with the case than he was pretending. “I made you a promise, and I am a man of my word, no matter what you may think,” Lucifer told him, stepping closer. </p><p>Pierce looked down sheepishly for a minute before looking up and meeting his father’s eyes. “I may have overreacted. I’m sorry.” </p><p>“Thank you,” Lucifer said with a smile. “But you were right about one thing. I don’t have all the answers, but I hope that we can find them…together. I mean, after all, you might be the only person on this planet who truly understands me. I’m not ready to give up on that. Ever,” he said sincerely, hoping that his son was getting his full meaning. When he heard the ‘aww’ from the crowd, he realized they were waiting for something and nearly groaned. There was only one way for a speech like that to end normally, but there was no way he was going there. Instead he reached both of his hands to Pierce’s cheeks and kissed his forehead before pulling him into a hug. </p><p>Pierce actually returned the hug and whispered, “You had me worried there for a minute.” </p><p>Lucifer chuckled and whispered back, “Not to worry. There isn’t a force on this planet that would get me to kiss you like that.” He was too happy that his son was actually hugging him to be offended by the implication. </p><p>Since that was settled, they got back to getting signatures from everyone and soon ferreted out the killer, and after a bit of a standoff, they were headed to jail. Pierce resisted the urge to throw the phone at the wall when he got a text that night from Lucifer asking him to stop by. “Lucifer!” he called as he walked through the penthouse finding him on the balcony with a drink. “This better be good. I was looking forward to sleeping far away from you tonight.” </p><p>“Oh it is good,” Lucifer said as he took a sip of his drink. “I finally got you figured out.” </p><p>Pierce scoffed. “Really?” </p><p>“Hmm. Yes. You’re terrified of letting someone get close to you because you know they’ll eventually leave you. You’ll outlive them. You want to die because you don’t want to be alone anymore,” Lucifer said content in the fact that he was right and readying for an argument on it. </p><p>“Yeah, well duh. What’s your point?” </p><p>“Well if we’re gonna remove your curse, then we have /got/ to do it together,” Lucifer said, grabbing the other drink he had ready from the table and handing it over for a toast, hoping that he’d gotten his point across that he was in this with him. </p><p>“Is that right?” Pierce asked, taking the drink, but hearing the meaning behind Lucifer’s words, and rejecting that. “You see I don’t think you’ve been spending all this time with me trying to remove the curse. I think you just want to spend time with someone who’s been screwed by your dad as much as you’ve been.” When Lucifer opened his mouth to argue, he added, “/You/ are the one that doesn’t want to be alone.” </p><p>Lucifer couldn’t argue with that part and tried to respect his son’s wishes for that bit of distance still between them. He only hoped that he had enough time to convince him later. “Well, I suppose one might call us friends now, and it is nice to have a friend who can relate. I get you.” </p><p>“No. You don’t. You’ve been on earth, what? Five years? You’ll see. It’s hard not to get attached,” Pierce told him, not sure if he wanted him to pick up on what he was asking or not. </p><p>“Except now you have at least one person who won’t have to leave you,” Lucifer pointed out. When Pierce scoffed, Lucifer put a hand to his shoulder and turned him to look at him. “I mean it, Cain. You are my son and now that I know that, I will /always/ be here for you.”</p><p>“Even if you did mean that, how long until your dad throws you back in hell again?” </p><p>“Then I’ll come back. Now that I know how. And I’ll find a way for you to contact me while I’m there just in case. I will NOT give you up without a fight. Regardless of anyone else’s wishes on the matter,” Lucifer assured him. </p><p>Pierce snorted before draining the last of his drink and setting the glass on the table. “I’ll believe that when I see it…Dad,” he sneered the last word and walked away before he saw the smile that slowly crept onto Lucifer’s face. </p><p>“And you will, son,” Lucifer said to no one as he finished his own drink, turning back inside as the elevator doors closed behind Pierce.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucifer spent the next few days turning over every rock he could before he thought of a rather obvious one that he hadn’t yet tried. He texted his brother to meet him and when he got there, Lucifer explained his problem and asked for help. He wasn’t expecting the firm refusal he got. “What do you mean, no?” Lucifer asked confused. </p><p>“God cursed Cain because he killed his own brother and you want to remove that curse that God placed on him for a very good reason. Does that even sound like something that I would help you do?” Amenadiel asked pointedly. </p><p>“Well it did until you put it like that,” Lucifer said in irritation, handing his brother a drink. “Look, this is important to me Amenadiel. I need your help. Just take a look at the mark and maybe it’ll jog something in that geeky brain of yours,” Lucifer all but begged. He was getting desperate. </p><p>“If Father wanted you to understand Cain’s mark, he simply would’ve…”</p><p>“Sent my angelic brother down here to help me?” Lucifer cut in hopefully. </p><p>“Nice try,” Amenadiel said amusedly, clinking their glasses together before turning to leave. </p><p>“We’ve been through a lot you and I. I thought we were…getting along. I thought we were…well…brothers for once,” Lucifer tried to appeal to him emotionally. </p><p>“We are, Luci, but you’re also my test. The reason Father has placed me here on Earth without my powers, so I need to protect you from yourself.”</p><p>“I gave my word, brother,” Lucifer almost yelled, voice getting shaky as Amenadiel walked away. “I will not break my word to my son!” </p><p>Amenadiel froze mid-step before sighing and turning around. “So you know,” he said with a sigh. </p><p>Lucifer narrowed his eyes at Amenadiel. “You knew,” he accused. When Amenadiel just shifted uncomfortably, Lucifer closed the distance between them in three steps and pinned his brother against the wall, hand at his throat. “You son of a bitch, you knew! All this time!” </p><p>“Luci, listen…” Amenadiel said nervously, trying to placate his brother. </p><p>“No. I don’t care what you have to say. All those times you send me back to hell, you knew that I had a son up here who needed me and you never said a word,” Lucifer hissed angrily. </p><p>“He’s a killer,” Amenadiel tried to reason. </p><p>“It was self-defense!” Lucifer roared, eyes flashing red briefly. “It was an accident when his brother was trying to kill him first!” </p><p>“And you believe him?” Amenadiel asked. </p><p>Lucifer’s grip tightened on Amenadiel’s throat, both at the implication and something else that just dawned on him. “Father wouldn’t have come down here to put the mark on Cain himself. No, that’s not his style. He would have sent someone. Who did he send, /brother/?” Lucifer sneered the last word. </p><p>“Me,” Amenadiel croaked out hesitantly, only to flinch when he suddenly found a curved hell-forged blade at his throat. </p><p>“You cursed my son… MY SON…to a life of misery and pain. You kept him from me and me from him. And you DARE to call yourself my brother?!” Lucifer could feel his tight hold on his temper slipping, his eyes were bright red now and he could feel his devil face flickering under the surface. He didn’t want to have to kill another brother so he shoved away, not caring at all about the already forming bruises he could see on Amenadiel’s throat. “Get out!” he growled, demonic voice coming through. “And don’t come back here. I don’t give a damn about any test of yours. The next time I see you, you will either remove my son’s curse or I will kill you.” When Amenadiel just knelt there massaging his throat, Lucifer yelled, “GO!” throwing the knife and imbedding it into the wall less than an inch from Amenadiel’s head. </p><p> </p><p>The next day, Lucifer woke up to a pillow hitting his face and snapped awake, looking around. “Doctor? What are you doing here?” he asked, noticing that his company had already left apparently. </p><p>“You’ve missed your last two sessions, so I decided to stop by on my way to work and pick you up so I can be sure you didn’t miss this one,” she said firmly. </p><p>“Right. Yes. It’s been a busy couple of weeks,” Lucifer told her, both touched and annoyed at the gesture. </p><p>“I’m sure,” she said rolling her eyes. “Get dressed and let’s go.”</p><p>Lucifer rolled his eyes. “I am in rather urgent need of a shower first, and I wouldn’t want you to be late.”</p><p>“Lucifer…” she said in warning. </p><p>“You have my word that I will be there,” he told her sincerely and she nodded at that and turned to leave. If there was one thing she trusted it was his word. </p><p>True to his word, Lucifer arrived only ten minutes after she did and five minutes early for his appointment since he was the first of the day. Once she got the basic story she sat back and blinked in surprise a few times before speaking. “So Cain…from the bible…is alive.” </p><p>“Yes,” Lucifer confirmed. </p><p>“And he’s your son.”</p><p>“Also yes,” Lucifer told her. “Do keep up, doctor.” </p><p>“Yes…well…if you’d throw fewer astounding revelations at me at one time…perhaps one per session? I might do better,” she said partially joking. </p><p>“Well I have missed a few sessions so I’m sure it still averages out,” Lucifer chuckled. </p><p>“So…you have a son,” Linda said, still wrapping her mind around that last part the most. “You never mentioned him before.”</p><p>“Because I didn’t know about him,” Lucifer told her. “Apparently Eve was pregnant with him when I got kicked downstairs. She probably didn’t know I was the father until the little tyke started sprouting wings. Bit of a surprise that was for old Adam I hear, though if I ever get my hands on him I’ll give him a few more surprises…”</p><p>“He didn’t treat your son well, then?” she guessed. </p><p>“No, he didn’t,” Lucifer almost growled. </p><p>“Clearly that bothers you quite a bit.”</p><p>“Would it not bother you if someone abused your child?” Lucifer asked incredulously. </p><p>“Of course it would, but I have to ask…does it bother you more that it happened…or that you weren’t there to protect him from it,” she asked. </p><p>“Both,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“And how does your son feel about this?” Linda asked, wondering if she was going to end up doing family therapy here. </p><p>“He hates me, naturally. And why shouldn’t he? I abandoned him for thousands of years. Left him alone in a world that nearly destroyed him. He had to watch everyone that he ever cared about die and leave him all alone, and I could have been there, but I wasn’t.” </p><p>“You didn’t know, Lucifer,” she tried to reassure him. </p><p>“I should have!” he snapped getting to his feet and pacing. “I should have. If nothing else Amenadiel should have told me the very first time I stepped foot on Earth, but instead he just threw me back to hell. No mention of ‘oh by the way, I cursed your son’.”</p><p>“Wait…Amenadiel knew? And he was the one who cursed him?” </p><p>“Yes!” Lucifer snapped running his hand through his hair. “And even now, when I’m working with him, he still wasn’t going to tell me! He was upset that I knew!” </p><p>“What did you say to him?” Linda asked, worried about how her secret boyfriend was taking this and thinking about how much she wanted to yell at him over it as well. </p><p>“I told him to get out and never let me see his face again. What do you think I said? I told him that if I ever did see him again, he better be removing that curse or I would kill him.” </p><p>“And would you?” Linda asked worriedly. </p><p>“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Cain is my /son/. How could I not do everything in my power to protect him?” </p><p>“But killing your brother wouldn’t solve the problem, would it? In fact, it would probably make it worse. If Amenadiel was the one who cursed him, he might be the only one who could remove it,” she pointed out, at the very least hoping to talk him out of murder. One that he would feel very deeply. </p><p>Lucifer sighed and plopped back down on the couch wearily. “Okay, you’re right. I wouldn’t kill him. But torture would still be on the table.” </p><p>“You should think very carefully before you do something that you might not be able to come back from,” Linda told him.</p><p>“I will not be my father, Linda. I will do /anything/ to help my son, whether he hates me or not.”</p><p>“Are you sure that your vehemence in this matter isn’t simply you trying to make up for not being there in the past? Trying to wipe the slate clean from something that you couldn’t have prevented in the first place?” </p><p>“There is no way I can make that up to him, doctor. No matter what I do. And Amenadiel had his chance to help. If he doesn’t change his mind, then he better stay out of my way or HE will be the one who regrets it,” Lucifer snapped before getting up and walking out, unable to even talk about this anymore.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Linda got home, she found someone waiting for her. “Amenadiel? What are you doing here?” She looked around. “What if Maze had seen you?”</p><p>“She’s nowhere around,” Amenadiel told her. “And I need your help.”</p><p>Linda sighed and unlocked her door, letting him in. Since she couldn’t say anything about her session with Lucifer, she would have to wait for Amenadiel to tell her what happened, anyway. Once they were inside and sitting, Linda asked, “Okay, what’s going on?” </p><p>“I need you to talk to Lucifer for me,” Amenadiel told her. </p><p>Linda closed her eyes and counted to ten. “About what? And why can’t you talk to him?” </p><p>“Because he threatened to kill me if he saw me again,” Amenadiel told her. When she just kept looking at him waiting for more information, he added, “I kept information from him that he felt it was his right to know.” </p><p>“And you don’t think he had a right to know?” Linda asked, keeping her tone measured carefully. </p><p>“It’s not that simple,” Amenadiel told her. </p><p>“Then explain it to me,” she said. “If you want me to talk to him about it, you’re going to have to tell me everything.” Amenadiel sighed and gave her the whole story, even the parts Lucifer didn’t know or only suspected like the fact that Cain’s conception was the reason he was treated so harshly. “So just to make sure that I understand you correctly…” Linda was trying to keep her temper in check. “Your brother was thrown into hell just for finding happiness and starting a family and not only do you condone this, but you personally curse his son, your own nephew, and then hide his existence from your brother, and now that all of that is out in the open, you still refuse to remove the curse that he’s borne for thousands of years.”</p><p>“Yes, that is correct,” Amenadiel told her. </p><p>“And you’re sitting here defending yourself and want me to talk Lucifer into letting it go?”</p><p>“Yes. So will you help me?” </p><p>“No,” Linda said. “In fact, I’m tempted to call Lucifer over here and help him.” </p><p>“Linda?” Amenadiel asked, hurt. </p><p>“I have heard a lot about the things you’ve done to Lucifer over the years, Amenadiel. Both from you and from him, and despite the fact that you still seemed to feel that you did nothing wrong regarding him, the fact that you two were becoming close again seemed to show some sort of remorse, but I was wrong. I can’t be with someone who treats their own family so callously,” Linda told him. </p><p>“What are you saying, Linda?” </p><p>“I’m asking you to leave,” she told him. “I don’t want to see you anymore.” Amenadiel sighed sadly and got up and walked out. As the door closed behind him, Linda broke down in tears. She had let herself fall for his excuses. Believe that he had changed. That falling had changed him. She’d been blind. Now that she was looking back, she could see that he hadn’t. He spent almost an entire year helping his mother manipulate Lucifer and now only stayed close because he saw him as some kind of test. Well, if he was right, then he’d failed his test and she got a sense of satisfaction from that. It was no less than he deserved. </p><p> </p><p>Lucifer made it into the precinct earlier than he was scheduled since he’d left his appointment early and took the extra time to search out his son. “I hope you have some good news for me,” Pierce said, not getting up from his desk. </p><p>“Goodish news,” Lucifer told him. “I’m making progress. I found out that Amenadiel was the one to give you your mark so he should be able to remove it.” </p><p>“Okay, so let’s go get him and get this done,” Pierce said, finally standing up. </p><p>“Unfortunately, he’s currently refusing,” Lucifer told him. </p><p>“Then how is that good news?” he sat back down. </p><p>“Because he will change his mind,” Lucifer assured him. </p><p>“How can you be so sure?” </p><p>“Because I kicked him out of my life and threatened to kill him if I saw him again unless he removed it,” Lucifer told him. At Pierce’s skeptical look he continued. “My brother is falling. He’s almost human at the moment in many ways. I’m the only sibling he currently has access to and he’d never dealt well with alone. On top of that, he thinks that I’m his test to get his wings back. He won’t stay away long.” </p><p>“And you would actually kill him?” Pierce scoffed. “For me?” </p><p>“Yes, I would,” Lucifer said seriously. “But I won’t. This time. Simply because killing him means he can’t remove your mark. Torture is a different story though.”</p><p>“So why aren’t we out there doing that now?” Pierce asked impatiently. </p><p>“Because he is still my brother and despite the fact that he doesn’t deserve a chance, I would feel better if I give him one. It’s been six thousand years. Surely a few more months won’t be too much hardship,” Lucifer tried to reason with him. When Pierce just nodded, Lucifer headed out to get back to work on the diamond case. </p><p>Pierce waited until his father was distracted before he left, tracking Amenadiel to Lux of all places. He either changed his mind already or was playing some kind of game and Pierce didn’t like it. “So I finally get to meet the infamous Amenadiel,” he said as he leaned on the bar next to him. </p><p>“Look I know who you are and I know what you want. I can’t help you. Sorry,” Amenadiel said, not looking at Pierce. </p><p>“Oh come on buddy. I just want to chat.”</p><p>“Yeah? About what?” Amenadiel asked skeptically. </p><p>“The weather…sports…if by any chance you have any idea how annoying it is to be an immortal part-human,” Pierce asked moving around Amenadiel to sit on his other side. </p><p>“I can’t say that I do,” Amenadiel said disinterestedly. </p><p>“Oh, well, let me enlighten you. You see, first you get to watch everyone you love die…over and over…and that sucks. But on top of that…it’s boring. I’ve been everywhere there is to go. Tried every kind of food, sex, music. Nothing surprises me anymore.”</p><p>“Have you tried Game of Thrones?” Amenadiel asked sarcastically. </p><p>“It’s been a literal hell on Earth,” Pierce said, starting to get annoyed. </p><p>“Well, the punishment fits the crime Pierce.”</p><p>“Little harsh if you ask me.” </p><p>“My father always has his reasons,” Amenadiel said, trying to ignore the little bit of doubt creeping in. </p><p>“Right, I’ve always wondered who your father would assign such an important task. It must have been someone he really trusted. Maybe…his favorite son,” Pierce said pointedly. </p><p>“Your father told you,” Amenadiel guessed. When Pierce nodded, he said, “Yeah. It was me. And you deserved it.” </p><p>“I didn’t come here to argue right or wrong,” Pierce said, reaching for his gun. He was tired of trying to defend himself anyway. “In fact, I just need your help.” He put his gun on the counter pointing at Amenadiel. “And see the good news for me is…this can actually hurt you now. You put this mark on me, now you’re gonna tell me how to get rid of it. So what’s it gonna be Amenadiel. You gonna help me die or vice versa?” </p><p>“Do as you must, because I can’t help you,” Amenadiel said, all doubt leaving his mind at this action. </p><p>“You’re proud. I get it. You don’t want to upset Daddy. You might not care if you get killed, but are you willing to let an innocent die for pride?” Pierce asked, turning the gun to point at some random person along the bar.</p><p>“You wouldn’t,” Amenadiel said. </p><p>“I killed my own brother. What makes you think I wouldn’t kill some random person to finally have peace.” Sometimes his perception could come in handy. </p><p>“My brother…your father…believes in you Pierce for some unknown reason. You’re really going to prove him wrong?” Amenadiel tried one last time. </p><p>Pierce was very good at schooling his reaction. He was the best bluffer he knew and wasn’t going to risk showing Amenadiel that’s all this was. “Maybe the guy wearing the scarf indoors. No one will miss him,” he said as he raised the gun, knowing that Amenadiel would stop him. </p><p>“Enough!” Amenadiel snapped grabbing the gun and shoving it down. “Yes, I gave you the mark, but I can’t remove it.”</p><p>“I don’t believe you,” Pierce said simply. He knew that Amenadiel had no problem with lying but that Lucifer always told the truth. If Lucifer said it could be done then it could. He raised the gun in the air and shot at the ceiling. “Everybody out. Now!” </p><p>“What are you doing?” Amenadiel snapped. </p><p>“I thought you would be useless, but I had to be sure.”</p><p>“Well now what?” Amenadiel asked irritated. </p><p>“Now I get to kick your angelic ass,” Pierce said letting fly with a punch. “You know, that didn’t feel as good as I hoped. But you know what they say, if at first you don’t succeed…”</p><p>“This won’t end well for you,” Amenadiel said from his spot on the floor. He may be somewhat vulnerable to human weapons and even pain, but he still had his angelic strength. At least for now. After a few hours of fighting, both of them were getting tired. “We don’t have to do this,” Amenadiel told him. </p><p>“Well you didn’t have to curse me either, but you did that, didn’t you,” Pierce snapped before lunging again and getting thrown over the banister and impaled on a spike. He was seriously going to have to talk to his father about some of the hazards in this club. It couldn’t possibly be up to code. </p><p>“Accept the punishment that you deserve,” Amenadiel yelled. </p><p>“You know nothing about what I deserve,” Pierce said hatefully, trying to free himself from his impalement. </p><p>“Oh I know that my father is punishing you because you killed your own brother,” Amenadiel taunted. </p><p>“Notice anyone else in here who plotted to kill his own brother?” Pierce asked pointedly. </p><p>“No, that was different,” Amenadiel said appalled. </p><p>“It was only different because you failed.”</p><p>“We are nothing alike,” Amenadiel snapped. </p><p>“Yeah you’re right. At least I had the balls to do it myself. You pawned the task off on someone else. You’re worse,” Pierce said disgustedly, not even bothering to give his side of the story anymore and just working within commonly held belief. “And if this is the punishment I get for my crimes, what do you deserve?” Amenadiel looked away, horrified. “There it is. That look on your face. That’s what I wanted. Now /that/ feels good.” He struggled a bit more to get off the spike, failing again. “Little help?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once Amenadiel helped him up, Pierce headed home to shower and change clothes since he was covered in blood and his clothes were a mess before heading back to the station. He had been there for about twenty minutes when Lucifer came in. “I just handed off the stolen diamonds to Ms. Lopez,” he told him. </p><p>“Excellent. Where did you get them?” Pierce asked. </p><p>“I would rather not say.”</p><p>“I need to know, even if I don’t act on it,” Pierce told him. </p><p>Lucifer sighed, knowing that he could deny his son nothing. “Jay Lopez.”</p><p>“And we’re not arresting him, why?” Pierce asked. </p><p>“Because to do so would hurt Ms. Lopez greatly,” Lucifer said. “And I refuse to do that.” </p><p>Pierce narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at his father. “You have a thing for her.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter,” Lucifer said quickly. Pierce burst into laughter. “What is so amusing?” </p><p>“The devil has a thing for the little ball of sunshine? Come on. Can you get any more opposite?” </p><p>“It’s not like that,” Lucifer said, hands twisting on the back of the chair, refusing to lose his temper. </p><p>Pierce noticed that and stopped laughing. “Wait…you actually love her don’t you?” </p><p>“I should get going. Apparently, I have a lot of damage in my club to have repaired this evening,” Lucifer said in irritation before turning and walking out. </p><p>Pierce winced at the reminder of the fact that it was his father’s club that he and Amenadiel had trashed, and he felt a little guilty for it. And surprised that he hadn’t at least gotten a talking to about it. Then again, supposedly Lucifer’s done plenty of damage himself for similar things in the past, so he probably doesn’t really care that much. Still…maybe a peace offering. “Lopez! My office!” </p><p>“What’s up?” Ella asked as she came in. </p><p>“Are you finished for the night?” he asked. </p><p>“I just finished cataloging the diamonds and was going to go through them tomorrow if that’s okay,” she said hesitantly. </p><p>“That’s fine. I wanted to see if you would be willing to run this by Lux on your way out. Lucifer forgot to sign some things before he left and I need it back in the morning,” Pierce said handing her the file. </p><p>“Yeah, sure. No problem,” Ella told him. She definitely wouldn’t say no to an excuse to be near Lucifer. She took the file, and left, heading for Lux. </p><p>Ella walked into Lux, finding Lucifer with his jacket off and sleeves rolled up, carrying rather large pieces of debris and it looked like a tornado had come through. “Whoa…what happened here?” </p><p>“Ms. Lopez!” Lucifer said, startled, dropping what he was carrying. “What are you doing here?” </p><p>“Oh, the lieutenant asked me to drop this off. He needs your signature on a few things. It looks like you have other things to worry about though,” she looked around the wrecked club worriedly. </p><p>“It’s no matter. I’ll have it back up and running in time to open tomorrow,” Lucifer assured her. </p><p>“What happened?” she asked again. </p><p>“Just a little fight. Nothing to worry about,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“We need to arrest anybody?” she asked, heading over to start helping clean up. </p><p>Lucifer chuckled. “That won’t be necessary. And you don’t have to help me either.”</p><p>“I want to,” she told him. “It’s what friends do for each other.” </p><p>“Very well. If you insist,” Lucifer said. “I can get all this stuff moved myself though. If you truly wish to be helpful, you could start sweeping up some of the glass around the bar area,” he suggested, partially because with his strength it would go a lot faster without her help and partially to keep his distance at least somewhat. He was going to have to have a talk with his meddling son. Even if the reason for the meddling did warm his heart and give him a little more hope for a real reconciliation at some point. </p><p>Ella nodded and grabbed the broom and dustpan to start sweeping up, but kept half an eye on Lucifer while she did. He was always hot, but doing this kind of work, using his muscles and all scruffed up from dirt and debris…he was more than hot. He was intoxicating. And not even breaking a sweat, even with how heavy some of that stuff must be. Lucifer was going in and out taking stuff to the dumpsters outside while Ella got the worst of the glass swept up before she started picking up chairs and barstools that had gotten dumped over and other trash and smaller stuff that was thrown around. </p><p>After a few hours, Lucifer said, “Well that’s as good as we need it. I’ve got people coming in the morning to replace the glass and shelving back here behind the bar and the little bit of structural damage to the bar and stair railing and the cleaning crew coming in before opening can take care of the rest. Thank you for your assistance Ms. Lopez,” Lucifer told her, offering her a drink. It would have been beyond rude not to after she’d helped so much, which was also why he ordered them dinner which should be here shortly as well. </p><p>“You’re welcome, buddy,” she told him. “Do you usually do this yourself?” </p><p>“I wouldn’t say /usually/. This sort of thing doesn’t happen particularly often, but yes. When it does, I generally do the bulk of the cleanup myself.” </p><p>“I would at least make the idiots who caused it help,” she laughed as the pizza was delivered. </p><p>“It’s not usually worth the hassle, particularly in this case,” Lucifer chuckled as they dug in. </p><p>“In this case?” </p><p>“One of the offenders is someone that I hope to never see again and the other I owe more to than I could ever repay,” Lucifer said cryptically. </p><p>Ella shrugged. “Fair enough. Well if you ever need help with this again, feel free to give me a call. The free dinner and drinks alone make it worth it,” she joked. </p><p>Lucifer laughed. “I just might do that,” he said, not that he likely would. Outside of work, the further she was from him the better off she would be. </p><p>After they finished eating, Ella headed home, leaving the file on the counter and Lucifer picked it up and flipped through it before huffing and heading upstairs. Just as he’d suspected the file was blank. He supposed it was a good thing that Ms. Lopez didn’t decide to take a look at it, though he was sure that Pierce would have just claimed to have grabbed the wrong one by mistake. </p><p>He texted Pierce to stop by as he poured himself another drink and sat at the piano to try and settle himself, only stopping when the elevator opened. “Do you play?” Lucifer asked him curiously. </p><p>“No. That’s not something I ever bothered to learn,” Pierce told him. One of the few things. </p><p>“I could teach you,” Lucifer offered. </p><p>“Did you really just call me here to talk about the piano?” he asked incredulously. </p><p>“No, actually,” Lucifer said handing him the empty file. “I appreciate what you were trying to do, but please don’t.”</p><p>“Why not?” Pierce asked confused, leaning against the bar. </p><p>“I should think it would be obvious,” Lucifer said draining the rest of his drink and getting up to refill it.</p><p>“Then consider me oblivious,” Pierce said, a little hurt. He’d actually been reaching out, trying to help his father, and he didn’t want it. </p><p>“I ruin everything I touch, Cain, and I don’t want to ruin her too,” Lucifer said, not looking at him. </p><p>“What are you talking about?” </p><p>“I ruined your life, your mother’s life, probably Adam and Abel too, the entire legacy of humanity…I could go on but I think you get the picture,” he snapped. </p><p>Pierce sighed and felt a little twinge of guilt at his role in this. In his defense, how was he supposed to know that his father had such a guilt complex, not to mention he had no idea that he didn’t deserve it. “You were just trying to find your own happiness,” he said. </p><p>“Precisely,” Lucifer said in defeat. “The price of my happiness is far too high to pay. If I had realized that then, things would have been different.”</p><p>“And I wouldn’t exist,” Pierce pointed out. “Unless you would rather that…”</p><p>“No!” Lucifer snapped his head up to look at him. “No, I would never rather you not exist, but I do wish you’d had an easier life.”</p><p>“Look, Lucifer. There’s good and bad from every decision we make and a lot of that we can’t control. As much as I hate to admit it, you did the best you could with the information you had.”</p><p>“And look what came of it,” he sneered. </p><p>“That doesn’t mean it’s your fault,” Pierce snapped. “Blame your father for throwing you into hell in the first place, blame Amenadiel for cursing me, but why blame yourself. You said you would have been there if you could have…unless that was a lie?”</p><p>“I never lie.”</p><p>“Then why blame yourself for not doing something that you /couldn’t/ do,” Pierce said, turning and leaving. That was about his limit of sharing and caring for the evening and he’d given himself too much to think about too.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the course of the next couple weeks, Lucifer kept wracking his brain for other ideas that didn’t depend on his stubborn brother pulling his head out of his ass, but kept coming up empty. He also kept trying to get closer to his son after their conversation, but he kept pulling away. Lucifer had thought they made real progress. He had all but come out and said that none of it was Lucifer’s fault, so what the bloody hell was the problem?</p><p>In the meantime, Pierce was having his own existential crisis and barely even came to work. Everything he’d said to Lucifer had been right, but it was also the complete opposite of the way he felt. What he’d spent the last six thousand years believing. How was he supposed to put all that behind him and start over? What was even the point? If Lucifer kept his word then Pierce would be dead soon and if he didn’t…well if he didn’t then he’d let him down for the last time. Getting close now would just make it so much harder in the end. No, best to keep his distance. </p><p>That lasted until Lucifer cornered him in the conference room with a crazy idea. “I shall fly down to hell, pluck your brother’s soul and drop it into a vacant body. This would make Abel alive and technically not murdered and you innocent.”</p><p>“Wait, back up. My brother is in hell?!” </p><p>“Yes, of course. In fact, he’s our oldest tenant,” Lucifer said smugly, which was the main reason he was so quick to believe Cain’s version of events. That and the fact that he could tell when someone was lying to him. </p><p>“Wait, if he’s there, you’re telling me that he never told you what I was?” </p><p>“I never actually saw him myself,” Lucifer admitted. “By the time I was up and around we had more than a few residents and I avoided him because of…well…your mother. I didn’t want to see one of her children that way.” Pierce nodded in understanding. It did make sense. “But anyway, can we just focus on my genius plan? If we bring Abel back to life, that would erase your crime. No crime, no mark, no curse.” </p><p>Pierce thought it was a decent idea, but was a little more skeptical when he realized that Lucifer had never done something like this before. Still, it was better than nothing and it was pure luck that a case came up that required them to head to the hospital and Pierce quickly tagged Lucifer as his partner on this one, irritating Chloe, but she couldn’t exactly argue with the boss. </p><p>Lucifer was just glad that he got a chance to spend a little time with his son, and only hoped that he could remove the curse. He refused to consider what came after that or he would be too tempted to break his promise and that was something that he would never do. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned and instead of Abel ending up in the 97 year old man, he ended up in the body of a young woman who they lost in the city and was also a witness to the crime they were investigating. </p><p>When Lucifer and Chloe ended up getting trapped with Abel by a bomb that they barely managed to defuse, Lucifer knew that it was his father giving him a warning, but he didn’t really care. Still, there were other people to consider. “I know I promised that I would help you end your curse, but I’m afraid we’ll have to be more careful with this. More discreet.”</p><p>“Why?” Pierce asked, not at all surprised that Lucifer was backing away from this, but wanted to hear his reasoning. </p><p>“The risk is too great. I mean, I don’t mind putting myself in danger, but the detective…If she’d died, it would have been my fault.”</p><p>“But you’re the devil. You always keep your word,” Pierce pointed out. </p><p>“I do. And I will. Just not quite so…recklessly,” Lucifer told him. </p><p>“Right,” Pierce scoffed and turned away. </p><p>“Cain, please,” Lucifer reached out a hand to his shoulder, turning him back around. “I won’t let you down. I promise.”</p><p>“Whatever,” he said jerking away and walking off. </p><p>Lucifer could see the disbelief in his son’s eyes and it hurt. A lot. But he didn’t know what else he could do. He wasn’t going to give up, but being as obvious about it as he had been was going to get someone else killed. Hopefully, he would be able to succeed and prove himself. If not, he may have just lost his son for good. He sighed heavily and headed home. He just had to keep the hope alive. That’s all. And try to keep some of the focus off the detective for a little while. </p><p>Pierce, on the other hand, was losing hope at a rapid rate. It was looking like waiting for his father to pull a subtle rabbit out of his hat was his only chance. It was that thought that led to him drinking at Lux about a week later. He knew that Lucifer would be upstairs with the singer that he was supposed to be watching so he wasn’t worried about a confrontation, though he was rather surprised to find that he was on the free drinks list, even after trashing the place. He shouldn’t have been surprised though. It was classic Lucifer. Throw money and stuff at people until they forgave him for being an ass. It wasn’t going to work this time though. </p><p>Pierce cursed to himself when Axara came downstairs and started playing. Where the hell was Lucifer? Oh there he was. Pierce watched as he tried to get the singer back upstairs before caving to the crowd and the attention and doing a duet and he rolled his eyes. Yeah, because that would totally help keep her off the radar. It wasn’t until after all hell broke loose that he noticed something that gave him a little bit of hope again. Maybe Decker really was the key, just not in the way he thought. Decker cared about Lucifer. Maybe that’s why he was vulnerable around her. If he could get her to care about him too…he might have a chance. That was the thinking that led to him inviting himself along with her to the concert. </p><p>When they got a new case, Pierce invited himself along on that too, getting suspicious but hopeful looks from Lucifer that just got more suspicious than hopeful as time went on and he paid more attention to Chloe than Lucifer, prompting Ella to corner Lucifer later. “Okay, dude, I have to know. What is going on with this weird love triangle between you, Chloe and Pierce?”</p><p>“What do you mean, Ms. Lopez?” Lucifer asked confused. </p><p>“Well at first you seemed to be jealous over Chloe, but now you’re acting like it’s Pierce you want and he’s obviously after Chloe and avoiding you like a jilted lover and I just can’t figure it out,” Ella said.</p><p>“Okay, first of all, there is nothing even the slightest bit romantic between myself and the lieutenant,” Lucifer shuddered at the thought, wishing that people would quit jumping to that conclusion. He knew that it had as much to do with his reputation and the fact that no one would guess that Pierce was his son anyway. “As far as the detective, I just want to make sure that he’s not after her for the wrong reasons I suppose.” </p><p>Ella nodded. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense, but dude…you gotta chill. You’re not her dad or her brother or anything.” </p><p>No, I’m his dad, Lucifer didn’t say. “Perhaps you’re right, Ms. Lopez,” he just said noncommittally. </p><p>Lucifer was more than a little annoyed at playing the lover being cheated on for an entire radio show, but contented himself with the fact that no one he cared to hang out with would be likely to listen to the show. He was more than a little nervous staking out Pierce and Chloe’s date later that night though. Now both his son and his best friend were in danger and he only hoped he was fast enough to save them. Thankfully, he made it in time, but just barely. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to thaw things much with his son who seemed to have decided to pursue a relationship with the detective and Lucifer worried about how that affected his desire to die. </p><p>A couple weeks later, their relationship seemed to be going well, but Lucifer was still nervous enough to go looking for Chloe to get her take on it, and maybe find something that would help him break the ice with Pierce. Instead of finding Chloe, he found Maze ransacking the apartment. “What are you doing, Maze?” he asked. </p><p>“I’m looking for one of my knives. I’m glad you’re here though. You were my next stop.” </p><p>“Your next stop for what?” Lucifer asked curiously. </p><p>“I am so done, Lucifer. I am done with this apartment, with all humans, with Earth in general. I want out. Now. I wanna go home.”</p><p>Lucifer laughed. “You want me to fly you down to hell. For good. It’s a bit rash isn’t it?” </p><p>“No. It’s not. And I’ve made up my mind. So get your wings out. No biggie,” she said grabbing her back and gesturing for him to get on with it. </p><p>“Maze, are you sure this is what you want?” Lucifer asked worriedly. “You won’t be able to contact me if you change your mind.” </p><p>“I’m sure, Lucifer. Now please.” </p><p>That please was what did it. Maze never begged for anything. Ever. Lucifer wondered for a moment if his father would target the detective for this as well, but decided that he wouldn’t. Lucifer was returning a demon to hell. He was putting things back the way they were supposed to be, technically. If anything he would probably get a gold star. “Oh very well,” he said as he picked her up. “But given the circumstances, I will give you a one time free pass on possession so that you can call me to come get you if you change your mind.”</p><p>“I won’t change my mind. Now let’s go,” she said, wrapping her arms around Lucifer’s neck for the flight and the next thing she knew she was soaring through the skies, heading for the ground back in hell, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She was home. Lucifer dropped her off and reminded her to let him know if she wanted to come back before he headed back to Earth himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The loss of Maze hit Lucifer rather hard. So much so that he forgot about having a conversation with Chloe about her relationship for a while. Before he remembered, he had a visitor though. He had been sitting there playing the piano, thinking about everything going wrong in his life, Maze, his son, even the detective, when the elevator opened. He turned to see who it was and stopped playing abruptly when he saw his brother step out. “You had better be here to tell me you’re going to remove the curse,” he growled warningly. </p><p>“I am,” Amenadiel said, one hand holding the elevator doors open in case he needed to make a quick escape. </p><p>“Why?” Lucifer asked suspiciously. </p><p>“Because Pierce was right. I /am/ worse than him, and if I ever want forgiveness of my own, then I need to be prepared to give it,” Amenadiel told him honestly. He had spent a lot of time thinking since that fight and decided that perhaps this was the test that his father had for him. Learning to forgive. </p><p>Lucifer narrowed his eyes, but nodded. “I don’t trust you. I’ll call Cain here and you can do it in front of me.” </p><p>Amenadiel nodded and finally moved away from the elevator and sat down to wait while Lucifer pulled out his phone and sent a text, palming one of the hell-forged blades that Maze had left him and keeping one eye on his brother. He leaned against the bar while they waited in silence. </p><p>About half an hour later, the elevator dinged again, and Pierce stepped out. “What’s this about removing my mark…” he trailed off when he saw Amenadiel. </p><p>“My /dear brother/ has apparently seen the light and decided to rid you of it. I thought it was best done here where I could ensure that he was doing as he said,” Lucifer told him, twirling the blade around his hand. </p><p>“Right. Let’s get on with it then,” Pierce said sitting down and rolling up his sleeve, not willing to try and figure out the feeling that welled up in him at the sight of his father’s protectiveness. </p><p>Amenadiel walked over, half an eye on Lucifer and the blade as he placed his hand over the mark and closed his eyes. A light glow flowed from his hand and then the mark was gone. “There. It is done. Can we talk now, Luci?” </p><p>“No,” Lucifer said. “First you sit there while I test it,” Lucifer told him, grabbing a normal human kitchen knife in his other hand. </p><p>“How are you going to test it?” Pierce asked nervously, eyeing both of the knives in Lucifer’s hands. </p><p>“I’m just going to see if you are back to a normal Nephilim,” Lucifer told him. “With the kitchen knife, of course since the other one would hurt you either way. This one is in case my brother is lying.” </p><p>Pierce nodded and took the kitchen knife from Lucifer and drew it across his arm, breathing a sigh of relief when it didn’t cut him. That meant the curse was broken. He was completely resilient against human weapons now, but once again vulnerable to hell-forged ones. “Excellent. Now I just need to call Maze…”</p><p>“Mazikeen is back in hell,” Lucifer told him. </p><p>Pierce set his jaw angrily. “You took her back to hell? You said you wouldn’t stand in my way,” he accused. </p><p>“And I won’t,” Lucifer said, trying to ignore the way his heart was breaking. Now that the time had come he couldn’t avoid the facts anymore. He could stall for just a minute though. He got up and went to the bar to get a drink. </p><p>Pierce went after him, “Taking away the person who was going to get me a blade is standing in the way,” he snapped. </p><p>Lucifer took a deep shaky breath and a long drink of his drink before turning to face his son. He changed his grip on the blade in his hand and pressed the handle into Pierce’s hand. “Know that I am giving this to you because I respect your choice. If the choice were mine, I would sooner plunge this blade into my own heart than give it to you,” Lucifer said sadly as he lost hold of his tears and they streamed down his face. He pulled his son into a hug, one hand cupping the back of his head as he whispered, “I love you, son. With every breath of my life. Please remember that.” </p><p>Pierce slowly returned the hug, trying to will his own tears away and reinforce his conviction. Once Lucifer let him go reluctantly he turned towards the elevator and heard Amenadiel ask, “Are we good now, brother?” </p><p>“No. We’re not. This doesn’t change the fact that you cursed my son and kept us apart for so long. Leave.” Lucifer needed to fall apart and he didn’t want an audience. He might eventually forgive his brother, but not tonight. Not on the night that his son was going to die. </p><p>Amenadiel ended up sharing the elevator down with Cain and couldn’t resist one last comment. “You know if you do this it will destroy him?” </p><p>“If I don’t, it will destroy me,” Pierce said, as he got on his motorcycle and rode away. He had one more stop to make first. </p><p>Once he was alone, Lucifer fell to his knees with a sob. He had succeeded in the one thing his son had ever asked of him. He had broken the curse that haunted him for so long. He had restored his son’s faith in him. He still felt like more of a failure than ever though. He desperately hoped that his son was right. That he would go to heaven. That he truly wasn’t carrying any guilt over his actions. Cain had earned his peace a hundred times over and if Lucifer learned that he’d gone to hell…well he would fix it. He would make any deal he had to make, offer anything he had to give, up to and including his own life, to get Cain into paradise. The fact that he was a Nephilim should be a one way ticket to the pearly gates though. At least in theory. </p><p>That was the only thought that comforted Lucifer for the next few hours as he curled up in a ball on the floor and cried for the loss of his son. He had never imagined that he could feel so much pain. It was like it was burning straight through him and ripping him apart. He had meant every word he’d said. He would die himself a hundred times over to save Cain, but that wasn’t what he needed. Lucifer had given him everything that he could and it was the one thing that he would never forgive himself for. If there was ever any doubt that Lucifer would be in hell after death, this would make it certain. There would no longer be a room waiting for him with his brother. It would be replaced by one with his son.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucifer was pulled from his anguish by a text message and he quickly grabbed it to check it, a burst of hope that it might be from Cain changing his mind, but that hope was quickly dashed as he saw that it was from Chloe. Well, Beatrice apparently with her mother’s phone. ‘Mommy got dumped by her boyfriend and she’s really really sad. Please come help me cheer her up.’</p><p>Lucifer sighed and wiped the tears from his eyes. Like he could ignore that plea for help. Perhaps helping the detective would get his mind off his own troubles for a while. He had a stop to make on the way there though. He had to check on his son first. See with his own eyes, despite how much he didn’t want to. ‘I’ll be there as soon as I can. It might be a little while though,’ he sent back. </p><p>Lucifer headed down to his car and drive like a bat out of hell to Pierce’s house and took a deep breath before using his powers to unlock the door and walk in. He stopped short as he saw Pierce sitting on the couch twirling the blade in one hand with his shoulders slumped. </p><p>Pierce heard the footsteps and knew who it was without looking up. “You know, I actually feel like I deserve to die now.”</p><p>That got Lucifer moving and he quickly went over to sit next to his son, and placed his hand on the handle of the blade to stop it’s motion, gently taking it from his hand and setting it on the table. “You know if you die with that attitude where you’ll go,” Lucifer said softly, resting his hand back on Pierce’s arm. </p><p>“Why do you think I’m hesitating?” </p><p>Lucifer moved his hand down to take Pierce’s hand in his. “You know that the only way I can let you go through with this is if I know there’s a better than average chance of you going to heaven, right?” </p><p>“You gave your word that you wouldn’t stand in my way. You would break your promise?” Pierce asked defeated, still not looking up. </p><p>“To keep you out of hell, yes,” Lucifer admitted. “I would do /anything/ for that. What’s the purpose in having honor if my own son ends up in hell because of it?” Pierce pulled his hand away and covered his face with both hands, elbows still resting on his knees and head bowed. The only way Lucifer knew he was crying was by the shaking of his shoulders and Lucifer wrapped his arm around him, hoping that he would be permitted this and pulled his son close. “/You/ matter far more to me than my honor, my pride, my /life/,” he whispered. </p><p>“I…I messed everything up, Dad,” Pierce managed to say brokenly, not pulling out of the embrace, but not participating either. </p><p>Lucifer’s heart started piecing itself back together, just a little bit when his son called him ‘Dad’. There was only one way to respond to that. “And I will do everything in my power to help you fix it,” he promised, leaning his head against Cain’s. </p><p>“I don’t know if you can.”</p><p>“I will never stop trying,” he promised. “You didn’t think the curse could be broken either, remember? Why don’t you just tell me what happened and we’ll see what we can do to fix it, okay son?” </p><p>Pierce nodded and took a few deep breaths to calm himself before sitting up and pulling from his father’s arms, not even protesting when the hands came to his cheeks and the thumbs wiped his tears away. The little boy in him that wanted nothing more than this was winning the fight at the moment. He explained what had happened with Chloe. How he’d gone over there to break up with her and save her from the pain of him dying only to realize that she’d fallen in love with him. It wasn’t until he’d already walked away that he realized that he’d fallen in love with her too and now he had no idea how to fix it. </p><p>Lucifer listened carefully, and resisted the urge to scold his son for hurting her like he’d said not to do, and just set his mind to fixing it. “Okay, so there’s only one way I can think of out of this. And if you are going to move forward with her, then it’s necessary anyway.” </p><p>“What are you talking about?” </p><p>“It’s not fair to keep secrets this big from her. Not if you truly love her,” Lucifer told him. “If you just tell her that you panicked about your feelings she’ll see you as flaky and not even bother giving you another chance, but if there is a real reason. Some big secret you were afraid to share…she’ll forgive that, and value the honesty.”</p><p>“So I’m just supposed to tell her that I’m Cain from the bible and I’ve been alive for six thousand years? She’ll never believe me,” he pointed out. </p><p>“She will if you show her your wings,” Lucifer told him. </p><p>Pierce winced and looked away. “I don’t have them anymore,” he admitted. </p><p>“What? Why?” Lucifer asked worriedly. If he’d fallen…</p><p>“I cut them off a very long time ago. Right after Abel…It was the one part of me that never grew back.” </p><p>Lucifer closed his eyes against his own tears trying to break through again. He knew how agonizing it was to cut off your own wings. He’d done it too many times. “Why would you do that?” </p><p>“Why did you?” he countered. </p><p>“Because I wanted to be free. The wings gave me the ability to go back to hell. No one had such expectations of you.”</p><p>“No, my wings were just the constant reminder of why the man who raised me despised me, why my brother wanted me dead, and the fact that the father I never knew never wanted me,” Pierce snapped, getting up to pace. </p><p>Lucifer moved in front of him, placing both hands on his shoulders. “That last one is NOT true and never has been.”</p><p>“I didn’t know that at the time,” Pierce shrugged him off. “But it doesn’t matter now. What matters is that I don’t have any way to prove anything to her.”</p><p>Lucifer took a deep breath as he set his next decision in his mind. “Then I will.”</p><p>“What?” </p><p>“I’ll show her my devil face since it’s back now. She’ll see that I never lied to her and I’ll vouch for your story,” Lucifer said. </p><p>“Why haven’t you before?” Pierce had to know. </p><p>“Because I knew that she would reject me. Fear me.” </p><p>“Why does that matter so much to you? I mean…if you’re not in love with her…”</p><p>“She’s the first real friend I ever had,” Lucifer admitted. “I didn’t want to lose that.”</p><p>It suddenly struck Pierce that as much as his life had sucked, Lucifer might just have had it worse. At least in some ways. To have never even had a friend until recently. His mother didn’t count. They were more than friends. “But you’re willing to lose that now?” </p><p>Lucifer smiled and put a hand on his shoulder again. “How many times do I have to prove that I would do anything for you?” </p><p>“I…I don’t deserve it.”</p><p>“You are my /son/. You don’t have to deserve my love. You have it by simply existing,” Lucifer told him and was more than surprised to find himself being pulled into a hug that he returned eagerly. </p><p>“Maybe show her your wings instead, though,” Pierce said, still holding on. </p><p>Lucifer shook his head. “That would be misrepresenting myself, don’t you think? I’m the devil, not an angel.”</p><p>Pierce stepped out of the hug and said, “And how much do you expect her to retain of the conversation if she’s fighting the urge to flee in terror? And how can you expect her to trust me with you vouching for me in that situation?” </p><p>Lucifer sighed. “You make a valid point. Very well. The wings it is. Now let’s go fix this, shall we?” </p><p>“Thanks…Dad,” Pierce said with a small smile, following Lucifer to his car. </p><p>“Anytime, son.” </p><p>They refined the plan as they drove to Chloe’s house, and when they got there, Lucifer knocked on the door and Trixie opened it to let them in before trapping him in a hug. “Thank you for coming, Lucifer,” she said sadly, gripping his waist tightly. </p><p>“Of course, Beatrice. I could never turn away a call for help from either you or your mother,” he told her, actually returning the hug this time. Finding out that he was a father had changed a lot of things. “Now why don’t you head to your room for a little while so the adults can talk, alright little urchin?”</p><p>“Okay,” she said with a smile, knowing that Lucifer would fix it and giving a suspicious look at the other man, but trusting Lucifer enough not to say anything. </p><p>Once she was gone, Lucifer and Pierce stepped around the corner to see Chloe on the couch wrapped in a blanket looking heartbroken. At least until she saw them. “What’s he doing here?” she asked Lucifer while glaring at Pierce.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Because there have been a lot of misunderstandings going around and we need to get them cleared up,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“What happened to me not being worth it?” Chloe asked sarcastically. </p><p>Lucifer’s eyes widened. “You said she wasn’t worth it?” he asked Pierce incredulously. </p><p>“No! That’s not what I said! I said that IT’S not worth it. Not you,” he protested. </p><p>“Misunderstanding number one to clear up,” Lucifer chuckled tensely. “May we sit?” Chloe huffed, but sat up on the couch and nodded. Lucifer noticed Pierce going to one of the chairs and steered him over to the couch, though at the other end from Chloe, at least for the moment. “Okay, so to start with, there are some things you should know if you’re ever going to understand what happened here. In all fairness, it’s something that I should have revealed a long time ago, but…well…I had my reasons for not. So…” Lucifer took a deep breath to steady himself. “I have never lied to you, detective. I am THE Lucifer. The fallen angel.” They had decided not to use the word devil unless necessary, despite the fact that she would know that. </p><p>“Oh for crying out loud, not this crap again,” Chloe said irritated as she started to get up, only to fall back down in shock when a set of pure white wings all but exploded from Lucifer’s back. She blinked at them for a long moment as she tried to restart her brain. He was wearing cosplay wings. But she would have seen them when he turned his back to her. This wasn’t possible…She got up, walked over and walked behind him. “You’re hiding the mechanism or something under your shirt?” she guessed…hoped.</p><p>Lucifer sighed and began unbuttoning his shirt before sliding it and his jacket off his shoulders so she could see where they connected to his back. She spent a moment prodding at them, with him twitching at every touch that he couldn’t possibly see. “They…they’re real…” </p><p>Lucifer furled them back into his shoulders and she gasped again as the completely disappeared. “Yes. They are. Now you see that I have never lied to you,” he told her, leading her gently back to the couch. </p><p>“There’s more isn’t there…what does this have to do with you?” she asked her ex?-boyfriend. </p><p>“I…I cut my wings off a long time ago so I had no proof to offer you of my claims. I knew you wouldn’t believe me without proof, just like you never believed him, but it wasn’t fair to be with you without you knowing,” Pierce told her. </p><p>“You…you’re an angel?” she asked. </p><p>“Half,” he told her. </p><p>“If you don’t need me for anything else, I should go and let you two talk,” Lucifer offered. When they both nodded, he tossed his car keys to Pierce as he put his shirt and jacket back on. “Since I drove you can take the car. I’ll just fly home.” He really didn’t want to be here when reality set in and she turned on him. </p><p>“Fly…on…on wings…” Chloe breathed out still in shock, but Lucifer was already gone. Her attention turned back to Pierce. “So you’re…half angel? I-is your name even Marcus?” </p><p>“Marcus Pierce is my legal name right now, but it’s not my original name.”</p><p>“Wh-what is your original name.” </p><p>“Cain,” he told her, waiting for the explosion. </p><p>She was too shell-shocked to explode at the moment though. “Cain…like from the bible? Cain and Abel? That Cain?” </p><p>“Yes, but the story they tell about me is wrong. Well not as much wrong as misrepresented. Just…are you willing to hear my side?” he asked hopefully. </p><p>Chloe frowned. “I’m a detective. I will always hear every side.” </p><p>He relaxed and nodded. “Okay. Thank you. See Abel despised me. He made it his life’s mission to torment me in any way possible and I hated him for it. I admit that, but I never wanted him dead. One day, he attacked me and…well…you should know that wings are horribly sensitive and I hadn’t actually learned to put them away like Lucifer just did yet. Abel pinned me down, kneeling on my wings and it hurt badly. I could barely even move. He had his hands around my neck strangling me. See he /did/ want me dead and this wasn’t the first time he’d tried to kill me. Now, I don’t actually need air per se, but having it cut off against my will still sends that instinctive panic and I just needed him to stop. I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on which happened to be a rock and I hit him in the head to get him off me, but…I hit him too hard. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t even know what death was. No one had ever died before that.” </p><p>Chloe listened carefully, managing to go into detective mode to help combat the shock and she could hear the truth in his words. “Okay, so you’re not the bad guy there and the bible has things wrong.”</p><p>“Well…not completely wrong. I did kill my brother. They just left out a lot of the story.” </p><p>“Why did he hate you so much?” Chloe asked. </p><p>Pierce knew this was where things were going to get tricky, but he would never be forgiven for lying to her now. “Because we didn’t have the same father,” Pierce told her. “His father despised me from the moment my wings started growing in when he realized that I wasn’t his son and he taught his son to do the same.” </p><p>“But then…who was your father?” </p><p>“Lucifer.” </p><p>“But…he…how…I don’t…” Chloe stammered. </p><p>“The bible has things wrong about him too, you know. A year ago I would have been the last person to defend him, but even then I knew he wasn’t evil. My mother told me a lot about him. I did think he was just a deadbeat dad though. Until I found out that he never knew about me and didn’t leave by choice. Apparently he got thrown into hell for falling for my mother and that cut off his access to our prayers too, but yeah. Not evil,” he tried to explain, knowing that if she thought his father was evil, then it would hurt his chances. </p><p>“Well I know he’s not evil,” Chloe said after a few minutes. “I’ve known him for years after all. But…your father…oh my god…a few months ago when he completely fell apart and you almost left…that’s when he found out isn’t it? He kept going on about being his father and abandoning someone and…abuse?” she said the last word like a question. </p><p>“Well since you talked to him before he knew about the abuse I suffered, he was probably talking about what he did to me just before he found out. He had figured out I was an immortal and stabbed me in an effort to back me into a corner and force me to admit it. He didn’t realize that I had been cursed…or more like didn’t realize the extent of my curse…”</p><p>“Curse?” she asked. </p><p>“Yes. When I killed my brother, God decided to curse me for it. It did two things really. It took away my angelic invulnerability so that I could be hurt by human means again, and it also made me unable to die, even by angelic means, but I still felt every moment of pain associated with death.” </p><p>“Oh god!” she covered her mouth in horror. “I mean…crap…”</p><p>“It’s okay. That may irritate Lucifer, but I don’t really care,” he told her. </p><p>“So basically, Lucifer killed you and you felt all of that pain and then when he realized what he’d done and to his own son, it just added to the tailspin he was already in after finding out he had a son in the first place?” </p><p>“Pretty much,” Pierce told her. </p><p>“And you? A-are you okay?” she asked worriedly. </p><p>“I’m fine now,” he assured her. “It hurt like a bitch, but it healed up pretty quickly. It was a sharp knife so that helped.”</p><p>“Oh Marcus,” she said sympathetically before stopping. “Should I call you Marcus or…or Cain…”</p><p>“Marcus. Please. That’s who I am now. Though my father still insists on calling me Cain,” he grumbled the last part. </p><p>Chloe snickered. “Dads are like that.” Seeing them as regular people who just happened to live forever and have wings was helping her get over it easier. “So that’s why all that mess from earlier? Because you couldn’t tell me about this?” </p><p>“Well…sort of, but not exactly,” he admitted. “Telling you about this was more necessary to get you to understand what actually did happen earlier.”</p><p>“Okay…” she said leadingly. </p><p>“See the curse…it made my life a living hell and I’d been trying to die for thousands of years. When I realized that even the devil could bleed around you, I thought you were the key to ending my curse too which is why I transferred here in the first place.”</p><p>“Not to meet your Dad?” she asked. </p><p>“No. In fact, that was the reason I almost didn’t come. I wanted nothing to do with him. But the prospect of finally being able to die was too enticing. When even being around you didn’t kill me…”</p><p>“Wait, why would it?” Chloe asked, having missed the part about her making Lucifer bleed. </p><p>“Because Lucifer shouldn’t be able to bleed. He’s a full angel. The only thing that should be able to kill him is hell-forged or divine weapons. But somehow, you being near him makes him vulnerable. Mortal. I don’t have any idea why and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t either, but that’s why I thought it might work for me too.” </p><p>“Okay…yeah…that’s just too far into the weird, so we’ll table that for another time. You were saying about wanting to die?” </p><p>“Right, yeah, so when that didn’t work, I was going to leave, but then Lucifer offered to help me break the curse and get back to being a normal Nephilim, meaning I could die by weapons not of this world again, not that he liked that part obviously. We managed to break the curse earlier tonight and I had a hell-forged blade that I was going to use to kill myself. I didn’t want you to feel the pain of my death as badly, so I came to break it off with you first, hoping that your anger at me would keep you from being as hurt.”</p><p>“But you didn’t go through with it? Did Lucifer stop you?” </p><p>He shook his head. “No, Chloe. You did. For the first time in thousands of years, I didn’t want to die anymore. I…I found something to live for and…and then I screwed it up because I didn’t realize in time.” Chloe blinked at him for a moment before launching at him and kissing him deeply as his arms wrapped around her and he kissed her back passionately. “I love you, Chloe,” he whispered the second his lips were free. “And I’m sorry for hurting you.”</p><p>Chloe smiled brightly. “I love you too, Marcus.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I still have like a million questions, but it can wait for the moment,” Chloe said. “Did you…still want to meet Trix?” she asked nervously. </p><p>“Very much so,” Marcus told her. “Though we sort of already met at the door.”</p><p>“Trix!” Chloe called and she came running out of her room and stopped short in confusion. </p><p>“Where’s Lucifer?” </p><p>“He had to go, monkey,” Chloe told her and was about to introduce Marcus, but Trixie interrupted. </p><p>“Without saying goodbye?” she asked tearfully. </p><p>“He’s good at that,” Marcus muttered under his breath. </p><p>Chloe smacked Marcus and told Trixie. “How about we can go visit him tomorrow and you can yell at him for not saying goodbye?” </p><p>“Okay,” Trixie brightened up at that. “Who’s he?” she finally asked. </p><p>“This is Marcus,” she told the girl. “He’s my boyfriend.”</p><p>“He’s the one who made you cry,” she glared at him. </p><p>“Yes, I did,” Marcus told her. “But it was an accident and I’m very sorry. I already told her that, but I’m sorry to you too.” </p><p>She tilted her head thoughtfully before nodding in acceptance. “Don’t do it again,” she said sternly. </p><p>“I’ll do my best,” he promised. </p><p>“Do you lie?” Trixie asked suspiciously. </p><p>“I-I’m sorry?” Marcus asked, taken off guard while Chloe snorted a laugh into her hand. </p><p>“If you lie then your promise doesn’t matter,” she pointed out. That’s why she liked Lucifer so much. He didn’t lie. </p><p>“Well I can’t say that I /never/ lie. Sometimes I have to for my job. But I try to never lie unless it’s really necessary,” he told her, feeling like that was the best way to go. He couldn’t exactly claim to never lie because then that would be a lie. </p><p>Trixie thought about it for a minute before nodding. “Okay. Do you wanna watch a movie?” she asked climbing up on the couch between them. </p><p>When Marcus nodded, Chloe said, “Just one, Monkey then it’s bedtime.” </p><p>“Okay,” she agreed. Once the movie was over, she conned Marcus into reading her a bedtime story while Chloe watched with a smile from the doorway. </p><p>“You’re good with her,” Chloe told him as they headed back to the living room. “Did you ever have kids of your own?” She was still having trouble wrapping her head around the fact that he was thousands of years old. </p><p>“Not biologically no, but I did home foster kids from time to time in the past,” he told her, not telling her about his most recent one that had died by his hands and taken the moniker ‘sinnerman’ with him. </p><p>“I can tell you have experience with children unlike your father,” she said amusedly before realizing how insensitive that probably was. “Oh crap…I’m sorry. I didn’t think…”</p><p>Marcus took her hands. “It’s okay, Chloe. It was a very long time ago,” he told her, squirming his shoulders. </p><p>“What’s wrong?” she asked. “You kept squirming like that when you were reading to Trixie too.” </p><p>“I…don’t know. It almost feels like…oh crap!” he exclaimed as a pair of sky blue wings sprung from his back, knocking everything off the coffee table. “Crap, sorry.”</p><p>Chloe’s eyes went wide as she took a step back. “I thought…they were gone…” she said confused. </p><p>“They were,” Marcus told her almost in awe. “I guess…they grew back…like Lucifer’s did…but how…”</p><p>“Wait, Lucifer didn’t have wings either? For how long? Why?” </p><p>“He cut his off when he came to Earth this time around so he couldn’t be forced back to hell. They apparently grew back around the time I came to town. He thought his father did it to manipulate him, but mine…he would never give me my wings back…unless maybe breaking the curse did something…I just don’t know.” </p><p>“They’re so pretty,” Chloe said reaching out a hand towards them before stopping herself. “Can I?” </p><p>He almost made a comment about her not asking Lucifer if she could touch his, but bit it back in time. At the time she hadn’t believed they were real, so it was a completely different situation. At least he could tell his father wasn’t exactly comfortable with it. “It’s probably not the best idea right now. They’re very…um…sensitive remember? It should wait until your daughter isn’t in the next room.” </p><p>“Oh!” her eyes widened. “Okay…wait so…when I touched Lucifer’s wings…” </p><p>“You were trying to make sure they were real. We both get that,” he assured her. </p><p>“Still…I-I’m sorry…I didn’t know…” </p><p>“I know, Chloe,” he said pulling her into a kiss, folding his wings away. “It’s fine.” She still felt a little sick at the idea. Not that she was nearly as against Lucifer as she used to be, but he was her boyfriend’s father and she’d basically groped him without even realizing it. She dropped it though. “Since I have these back though, I do have something I should do.”</p><p>“What’s that?” she asked curiously. </p><p>“Well…he fixed my love life, so it’s only fair I do the same for him,” Marcus said with a smile, feeling much more forgiving towards his father tonight. </p><p>“Fix his love life?” Chloe asked in surprise. “He has new ‘loves’ every day. Sometimes every hour.”</p><p>Marcus shook his head. “Distractions,” he told her. “There is someone that he’s in love with, but…well…he thinks she’ll turn on him if she knows what he is, just like he thought you would. I think he’s being an idiot so…”</p><p>“You’re going to go show her so she can accept him like he did for me when you didn’t have them,” she figured out.</p><p>“Basically,” Marcus told her. </p><p>“And he’s not going to be pissed at you for it?” she asked. </p><p>“He probably will be. At least for a while. But he’s still trying to get me to forgive him for missing most of my life so I can always play that card. Besides…he thinks he’s not worthy of love and just ruins everyone around him. I can’t just let that stand and if anyone can teach him otherwise, she can.” </p><p>“It’s Ella isn’t it?” Chloe guessed. </p><p>“How did you…” </p><p>Chloe shrugged. “Given what I know now it’s pretty obvious. He lets her hug him but gets very uncomfortable when she does and keeps her at arm’s length the rest of the time. She’s the only person he’s actually formal with, calling her Ms. Lopez all the time.” </p><p>“See now /that/ is why you’re my best detective,” Marcus said amusedly, kissing her one more time. “I’ll see you tomorrow? Dinner maybe?” Since it was a Saturday, they didn’t have to work. “With Trixie?”</p><p>“Dinner sounds perfect,” she grinned. </p><p>“Excellent. I’ll text you tomorrow with details,” he told her, kissing her one more time before leaving in Lucifer’s car. He was very glad he’d talked his father against going with the devil face for the reveal. </p><p>He drove up to Ella’s building and headed up to her apartment, knocking lightly on the door. He didn’t want to wake her up if she was sleeping. When she came to the door, she was in her fleece pajamas and got a wide-eyed look. “Lieutenant!” she said in shock. </p><p>“Hey Lopez. I wanted to talk to you about something, if that’s okay.” </p><p>“Um…yeah…sure…come on in,” she told him opening the door all the way. </p><p>“Right. Sorry to barge in on you like this, but I’m kinda…paying off a debt,” he told her. </p><p>“What kind of debt, and what does that have to do with me?” she asked nervously. </p><p>“Okay, yeah. I’m not so good at this whole…people thing…so bear with me,” he said, knowing that he was messing this up, but hoping the end result would be better.</p><p>“Okay…um…you want something to drink or something?” she asked uncomfortably. </p><p>“No, I’m good,” he told her. “I’m not sure how to go about this other than to just come out and say it. See, there are things in this world that you might believe in, but don’t actually know about exactly…”</p><p>“That’s coming out and saying it?” she asked amusedly when he trailed off. </p><p>“Oh what the hell,” he huffed and just spread his wings. </p><p>“Holy crap!” Ella exclaimed almost falling backwards over her coffee table, but managing to land her butt on it. “That’s…I…You’re an angel?!” </p><p>“Half, actually,” he said, folding his wings back away. “And I’m not the only angel you know.”</p><p>“Lucifer,” she said knowingly. “He really is the devil isn’t he?” It made so much sense now, and not just because he always said it and never lies. Pretty much everything, even the way he was lifting and carrying such heavy things without seemingly any effort at all or even breaking a sweat. </p><p>“He is, but the world is wrong about pretty much everything about him,” Marcus said quickly. </p><p>“Well, duh,” she said rolling her eyes. “I always thought the devil got a bad rap. I mean so he disagreed with his dad and offered some naked lady an apple. Big deal.”</p><p>Marcus winced. “Can we not? That ‘naked lady’ you’re referring to was my mother.”</p><p>“Wait what? Who are you really?” </p><p>“Cain, but they got my story wrong too. I mean yeah, I killed my brother, but it was self-defense. I never meant to.” </p><p>“Okay,” Ella said with a shrug. </p><p>“That’s it? Just okay?” he asked surprised. </p><p>“The bible was written by people. It’s not surprising they got a lot wrong. You were there and I trust you so if you say that’s what happened, I believe you.” </p><p>“Well…thank you Lopez. People don’t usually…” </p><p>“Wait a minute!” she interrupted with wide eyes. “You’re half angel you said? And your mother was Eve? Is…Is Lucifer your Dad?!” </p><p>Marcus sighed and nodded. “Yeah,” he told her and gave her the whole story about Lucifer’s fall and the prayers and him not knowing but Marcus thinking he did. </p><p>“Dude so you spent your whole life thinking your Dad hated you and he didn’t even know he had a son? That is so sad,” she said grabbing him in a hug. He hugged her back hesitantly before stepping away. “So why are you telling me all this. You said something about paying back a debt?” </p><p>“Yeah. My father helped me to show the truth to the woman I loved, so I’m helping him the same way,” he told her. </p><p>Ella blinked a moment in shock, trying to reboot her brain. Angels and devils and people millennia-old didn’t phase her but the implication that Lucifer loved her completely shut her down. It was a long moment before she said, “Huh? Wh-why wouldn’t he…you know…say anything. I mean…he’s not exactly shy…”</p><p>“He doesn’t think it’s fair to be with someone seriously without them knowing the truth and he thought you would reject him if you knew. Plus, he thinks that he doesn’t deserve to be happy because he ruins everyone’s lives. My showing up didn’t exactly help with that part,” he admitted apologetically. </p><p>“But…you’re sure that he…he loves me?” she asked, still trying to wrap her head around that. </p><p>“As sure as I can be,” he told her. Lucifer hadn’t actually come out and said the words, but it was as clear as day. </p><p>“Okay. Thank you. Gotta go,” she said running towards the door. </p><p>Marcus laughed and grabbed her arm before she got there, her momentum spinning her in a circle. “I’m sure he won’t really mind, but you might want to change first.”</p><p>“Oh crap! Thank you!” she said again, realizing she almost went straight to Lucifer’s in her pjs. She hugged him quickly and ran for her room. </p><p>“I’ll leave you his keys on the table here and you can take his car back to him,” he called out to her. Now that he had the option, he could fly home too. Assuming he remembered how after so long.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It didn’t dawn on Ella until she got outside and saw the Corvette what he had meant by taking Lucifer’s car and her eyes widened again. She was starting to think the shocks would never end tonight. She hoped that Lucifer didn’t mind her driving this car, but since his own son had offered it, she could just shift the blame there. His son. That was mind-boggling. Still, she wasn’t about to turn down the chance to drive this hot ass car. Almost as hot as it’s owner. </p><p>She drove very carefully, but also a little faster than she should have on the way to Lucifer’s. If it hadn’t been his car she would have floored it, but she didn’t want to risk wrecking it. That was one way to end a relationship before it began. That thought was enough to nearly have her hyperventilating again, but she pushed it out of her mind by planning what she was going to say. </p><p>She pulled carefully into his garage, knowing where it was, but never having been in here before. At the sight of his other cars she had to hit the brakes before she started getting woozy. She wondered how many more shocks it would take for her to be numb to them. After a few minutes of careful breaths she pulled the Corvette into the spot that was clearly reserved for it before heading to the elevator she’d seen on the way in and pushing the button for the penthouse. If he’d actually revealed himself to Chloe tonight, she would bet that he wasn’t in a partying mood so would be upstairs. </p><p>“Lucifer? Are you here?” she called from the elevator. </p><p>“Come on in, Ms. Lopez,” Lucifer called as he got up to pour her a drink, handing it to her as she came around the corner of the bar. “What brings you here tonight?” </p><p>“Well I have a bit of a bone to pick with you,” she told him mock-sternly. </p><p>Lucifer chuckled and headed to the couch. “Well let’s have a seat and then feel free to pick away.” </p><p>She followed him and sat down, tucking her leg under her and turning to face him. She took a long drink for liquid courage before she said, “I seem to remember a bit of a conversation when we first met about how I thought the devil got a bad rap, right?” </p><p>“Yes, I do remember that,” Lucifer said curiously, wondering where she was going with this. </p><p>“Okay good. I’m glad all that time in hell didn’t rot your memory then. Then how could you think I would turn on you if I knew the truth?” she asked punching his arm. </p><p>Lucifer blinked at her in shock for a minute. “…I’m sorry?” he said completely confused. </p><p>“You’re the devil,” she said clearly. </p><p>“Yes. I have been telling you that all along…wait…” he narrowed his eyes at her. “You believe me now?” </p><p>“Yeah. I had a rather enlightening visit from your son earlier,” she told him, taking another long drink. </p><p>Lucifer sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I told him to stop meddling,” he muttered in irritation. </p><p>“Kids. They never listen,” she joked. </p><p>“What all did he tell you and how did he convince you?” Lucifer asked worriedly. </p><p>“Well the giant wings sprouting from his back were the first clue…”</p><p>“Wait, he got his wings back?!” Lucifer asked happily. </p><p>“He lost them?” </p><p>“Excuse me a moment, Ms. Lopez,” Lucifer said pulling his phone out and calling his son. “You got your wings back?” he asked as soon as Marcus answered the phone. </p><p>“Yeah. Not sure why or how. Chloe and I were talking and they just…suddenly reappeared,” he said. “I take it Lopez is there with you now.”</p><p>“Yes, she’s here and you and I are going to have a talk about your penchant for meddling,” Lucifer said sternly. </p><p>Marcus laughed. “Well you helped me fix my love life, so fair’s fair.”</p><p>“Yes, but you /asked/ me for help,” Lucifer pointed out. </p><p>“Actually you offered and I accepted. I guess I forgot a step. Sorry Dad. Have fun,” Marcus quipped hanging up the phone before bursting into laughter.</p><p>“That little…” Lucifer growled as much amused as annoyed. Ella burst into laughter at the look on his face as he glared at the phone. “Well…since apparently that conversation is over…let’s return to ours shall we? What all did he tell you?” </p><p>Ella finished her drink, feeling a slight buzz that gave her the last of the courage for this. “Quite a bit. Other than history and origins, he told me that you were afraid that I would reject you if I knew who you were and that you felt like you didn’t deserve to be happy and had some crazy idea that you ruin people’s lives and that’s why you wouldn’t tell me that you loved me.” </p><p>Lucifer groaned and leaned his head in his hands. “I’m gonna kill him.”</p><p>“So…it’s true then?” Ella asked biting her lip nervously. </p><p>Lucifer took a deep breath before picking his head up. There was only one way to play this. “I DO ruin people’s lives, Ms. Lopez. It’s all I seem to be good at.”</p><p>Ella grabbed the bottle from the table and refilled her drink, taking another sip. “You really are an idiot sometimes, you know that?” </p><p>“Pardon me?” </p><p>“I guess men are men though whether they’re angels, devils, or human,” she continued as if she didn’t hear him. He sputtered at that, unable to find words. “I have seen you save dozens of lives, if not more. You help people every day, you idiot. Yeah, maybe some people are worse off for knowing you, but hey, join the club. That’s life.”</p><p>“The people closest to me are the ones I hurt the most,” Lucifer found the words to point out. </p><p>“Duh,” she said rolling her eyes. “They always are. That’s because they matter the most and you matter the most to them. That’s nothing that every other person on this planet doesn’t have to deal with. It’s not like you intentionally hurt people and I know you try to fix it whenever you can and that’s all that matters, so quit being an idiot and kiss me already.” </p><p>Lucifer sucked in a sharp breath at her order as his heartbeat picked up to double time. He met her eyes and upon seeing the complete conviction there he did as she said and reached out, grabbing her waist and pulling her into his lap, kissing her senseless. She sighed happily and slid her hands into his hair as she kissed him back, shifting so that she was straddling his lap instead of sitting sideways. Lucifer pulled her tighter against him and she could feel his erection against her core as Lucifer let out a moan. </p><p>Ella was so lost in the kiss that her brain was almost mush. Holy hell Lucifer was an amazing kisser. She reached her hands to his shirt to start unbuttoning it, but Lucifer took her hands in his. “Ella, wait,” he said as he wrenched his mouth away from hers. </p><p>She let out a little whine, but didn’t fight his grip. “You don’t want to?” she asked, biting her lip nervously. </p><p>Lucifer let out a heavy breath, allowing his head to fall back against the back of the couch, trying to hold onto his self control. “It’s not that I don’t want to,” he told her. “I just…you’re special, Ella, and I don’t want to just take you to bed right away just like everyone else.” </p><p>Ella groaned and slid off his lap. When he put it like that, she couldn’t exactly argue. “As much as part of me is thanking you for that, part of me is cursing you too,” she said with a chuckle. </p><p>“Believe me, darling, I am in the exact same boat,” Lucifer told her, leaning down for a short soft kiss. “Dinner tomorrow?” he asked hopefully. </p><p>“Okay,” she agreed, managing to get her legs to work enough to get up. “I guess I should go…oh before I forget, here are your car keys. It’s parked in the garage.”</p><p>“If you drove my car here, how are you getting home?” he asked, already getting his phone out to call a car for her. </p><p>“I was just going to Uber…” </p><p>“Nonsense. I’ll have a car here in five minutes,” he told her, getting up himself, glad that he always chose pants that hid his current problem and pulled her into one more soft kiss. “Goodnight, darling.” </p><p>“Goodnight,” Ella said breathlessly before heading for the elevator. Just when she thought she couldn’t love the man any more than she already did.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Trixie was after Chloe as soon as the sun came up to go to Lucifer’s but Chloe held her off for a while until they finally left around nine am. She hoped it wasn’t still too early, but she’d never really known Lucifer to sleep late unless he was spinning out over something. Once they got up and the elevator opened, Chloe held Trixie with one hand while the other hand held the doors open. “Lucifer, are you here and decent?” </p><p>“Define decent, dectective?” she heard Lucifer call back in amusement. </p><p>“I have Trixie with me,” she said in answer to his question. </p><p>“Right. Stay there a moment,” he replied, and Chloe couldn’t help but laugh at that. It was less than two minutes before Lucifer came out, buttoning his shirt. “Well well. I didn’t expect to see you again without an exorcist in tow. Unless Beatrice has some unknown calling?” he teased the girl. Trixie giggled and shook her head as she ran forward to hug him. He may have been putting on a good show, but inside he was a bundle of nerves. She knew what he was now and he had no idea how she was going to react, which is why he kept a careful eye on her as he hugged Trixie back. </p><p>“Why would I need an exorcist? Got a demon problem the big bad king of hell can’t handle on his own?” Chloe joked back. </p><p>Lucifer barked out a laugh and headed to the bar. “Drink detective?” </p><p>“No thanks, but I’ll have some water if you don’t mind,” she said, knowing better than to ask him if he had anything else to drink.</p><p>“Do you have any juice?” Trixie asked hopefully. </p><p>“I have orange juice,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“You do?” Chloe asked surprised. </p><p>“Naturally. Can’t make a screwdriver without orange juice,” he said as though it should be obvious, pouring a cup for Trixie and some water for Chloe along with his own scotch. “So what brings you lovely ladies here?”</p><p>“You didn’t say goodbye to me last night,” Trixie said stomping her foot, his question reminding her that she wanted to yell at him. </p><p>“Should I have?” he asked looking between her and her mother. </p><p>“If you say hello, you have to say goodbye. It’s only polite,” Trixie said crossing her arms, as Chloe gave him an amused shrug. </p><p>“Well in that case…I do apologize Beatrice and shall attempt to avoid such mistakes in the future,” he promised. </p><p>“Good,” she said, finishing her juice and running over to jump on the couch. </p><p>“Please don’t jump on the furniture, child. That’s Italian leather,” Lucifer said with a wince. </p><p>“Sorry,” Trixie said with a grin. “Your son is nice,” she told Lucifer. </p><p>“My…” he stopped and turned to Chloe. “How much does she know?” </p><p>Chloe shrugged, looking as taken off guard as he was. “I didn’t even know she knew that.” </p><p>“Just because I’m in my room doesn’t mean I’m deaf,” Trixie rolled her eyes. </p><p>“So you heard everything then?” Chloe asked and Trixie nodded. “Even about Lucifer being the devil?” </p><p>“Yeah, but I’ve known that since forever,” Trixie pointed out. </p><p>“Oh?” Lucifer asked. </p><p>“Yeah. You told me when we first met silly,” she said, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of grown-ups. “Auntie Maze said you…” she stopped herself and slapped a hand over her mouth.</p><p>Lucifer raised an eyebrow, worried now about what Maze might have said about him. “Maze said that I what?” </p><p>“I’m not supposed to say,” she said with her hand still over her mouth. </p><p>“I promise I won’t be mad at you or Mazikeen for whatever she told you, child,” Lucifer assured her, getting more worried by the minute. </p><p>“She said that you…um…had another face too, but I wasn’t supposed to ask you about it ‘cuz you hate it and it makes you feel bad,” she said looking down at her shoes. </p><p>“You have another face?” Chloe asked. </p><p>Lucifer sighed and realized that he would have to show them his devil face after all, or at least the detective anyway. He topped off his drink and went to sit down, Chloe taking the hint and following him. “When I was first sent to hell, my father threw me in a pool of volcanic hellfire. The result…is not pleasant.” </p><p>“Can I see?” Chloe asked gently. Lucifer cut his eyes to Trixie who was watching him too and back to her. Chloe shook her head. “I’m not going to shield her from seeing someone with burn scars. There’s no shame in it.” </p><p>Lucifer sighed and let his face fade into his devil face. Chloe gasped and covered her mouth in horror and Trixie got up and went over to look closer. “Does it hurt still?” Trixie asked. </p><p>Lucifer was expecting Chloe to grab Trixie and pull her away in fear any second and when she didn’t he was rather confused, but still managed to answer the child’s question. “No. Not for a long time.”</p><p>“Can I feel?” she asked curiously. </p><p>“I…suppose…if you wish,” Lucifer looked at her in complete confusion as her hand reached out and trailed gently over a knot of scars on his cheek and he suddenly felt tears springing up in his red eyes. </p><p>A single tear slipped from Trixie’s eyes as she continued her gentle perusal of his face. “Your dad is a bad man to hurt you like this,” she said sadly before climbing in his lap and hugging him. </p><p>Lucifer’s face faded back to normal as a couple tears dripped from his own eyes and he hugged her back, resting his head on hers. “You okay?” Chloe asked worriedly, afraid that Trixie had hurt him. </p><p>Lucifer nodded and swallowed around the lump in his throat a few times before he managed to speak. “No one has ever…touched that face like that. Usually too busy fleeing in terror,” he tried to make the last part a joke to lighten the mood but failed miserably. </p><p>“I’m not scared of you, Lucifer. You’re my friend and I’ll always love you,” Trixie said sincerely. </p><p>“I’m not scared of you either,” Chloe told him. “I’ll admit that if I saw it randomly without warning I might be pretty scared, but knowing what it is and how it happened…there’s nothing to be scared of. It’s just an injury.” </p><p>“Which face is your real one?” Trixie asked. </p><p>“Trix!” Chloe chided her for her insensitivity. </p><p>Lucifer just laughed and kissed Trixie’s head amusedly. “It’s fine detective. I wish more people would be so forthright. In answer to your question, urchin, I suppose it depends on how you define real. The face I wear every day is the face I was created with. The other one is what it looks like now after the fall.” </p><p>Chloe nodded, seeing that he was a little uncomfortable with that and had a good idea why. He felt like he was living a lie. “No different than a human with those kind of injuries having facial reconstruction surgery. Not that we could ever do so good a job,” she said with a chuckle. </p><p>“Yes, quite,” Lucifer said relaxing a great deal. </p><p>Now that Trixie could see that he was okay again, she climbed off his lap after surprising him with a kiss to his cheek and went over and sat next to her mother again. “I owe you an apology, Lucifer.”</p><p>“Whatever for, detective?” </p><p>“For not believing you for so long. You kept telling me…insisting, even…and I just…blew it off,” she said. “I shouldn’t have. I know you don’t lie.”</p><p>“You’re not the only one, detective. No one ever believes me…”</p><p>“I did!” </p><p>“…except for Beatrice apparently,” he chuckled. “It’s actually easier that way overall. A few hundred years ago, everyone always believed me. I ended up burned at the stake more than once,” he joked. </p><p>Trixie’s eyes widened. “Didn’t that hurt?” </p><p>“It tickled a bit,” Lucifer told her amusedly. “Human fire can’t hurt me. I could stand in an erupting volcano and might end up a bit pink. Nothing on the planet has anything on hellfire.” </p><p>Chloe could see the deeper hurt in his eyes thought that told her while it didn’t hurt him physically, it still hurt and she could see why. Being hated by the entire world because people thousands of years ago told lies about you couldn’t be easy. Trixie seemed to have picked something up too, or was just speaking her mind because she said, “It’s still mean.” </p><p>“I am the devil, remember,” Lucifer pointed out. </p><p>“That doesn’t mean that people should just be able to be mean to you for no reason,” Trixie said, stomping her foot.</p><p>“For most people that’s enough of a reason,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“She’s right,” Chloe butted in, glad for her daughter’s strong defence, but needing to add an adult opinion to it. “You’ve done nothing wrong. All you did was try to find happiness with someone you cared about. Granted she was married at the time, but that’s hardly enough to vilify you for eternity over.” </p><p>“It wasn’t like she was married to him by her choice,” Lucifer grumbled. </p><p>“What do you mean?” </p><p>“She was created for him. They were the only two people in the world. She never got a choice in anything,” he said in clear irritation. </p><p>“Until you gave her one,” Chloe said knowingly, getting a nod from Lucifer.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chloe and Trixie stayed for lunch before Lucifer said, “I hate to rush you out, but I seem to have a date tonight so…”</p><p>“A date huh?” Chloe teased. </p><p>“Yes, apparently my dear son decided to be a meddlesome brat,” Lucifer muttered. </p><p>Chloe laughed. “Tell Ella I said hi,” she said as they headed to the elevator. </p><p>“Is there anyone he didn’t blab my secrets to?” Lucifer asked, honestly irritated this time. </p><p>“He didn’t, exactly. He was very vague about where he was going and why when he left last night. I’m just a very good detective,” Chloe told him, hoping to get her boyfriend out of trouble. </p><p>“Mhmm,” Lucifer hummed skeptically, waving goodbye to them. The first thing he did when they were gone was send a text to Marcus. ‘Lunch tomorrow. 12. 1522 3rd St’, was all it read. He hoped he got the message that it wasn’t a request. He got a return message back of ‘fine’ a few minutes later as he was making the final arrangements for his date tonight and texted Ella that a car would be coming for her at six. That would put her arriving around sunset which would be perfect for what he had planned. He also let her know to expect a delivery in a couple hours with her outfit for the evening. </p><p>Ella wondered where they could possibly be going that he felt the need to dress her like that and she was nearly bouncing on her feet when the box arrived just so she could get a clue. She pulled out a nineteen fifties vintage rockabilly dress in red with small white polka dots and black sashes along with a set of red and black high heel pumps and even a matching handbag. Once she took those out, she saw a large jewelry box in the bottom too and opened it to find a pair of chandelier earrings in yellow gold with small rubies hanging at the end with a matching necklace and bracelet. </p><p>Ella was glad that it arrived so early because it took a few minutes before her mind stopped spinning enough to even think about getting ready. He was really going all out to sweep her off her feet and it was working. When she got out of the shower, she quickly put the dress on before doing her hair. She had gotten the fifties theme and was going with it in her hairstyle before putting the jewelry on and finally the pumps, heading outside just as a nice limo pulled up and Ella chuckled as she got in to find Lucifer waiting for her with a glass of wine. “You look ravishing, darling,” he told her. </p><p>She looked him up and down as she took a sip of the wine. He was in a fifties style pure white suit with black embellishments. It was beyond hot on him. “So do you,” she told him, leaning over for a kiss which he gratefully gave her, but kept it chaste as the limo started moving. </p><p>“We’re going to do things in a slightly different order than is traditional,” he told her. “First will be the movie and then dinner.” </p><p>Ella chuckled. All of this was just for dinner and a movie? Not that she was going to complain about being a bit spoiled of course. “Okay, that’s fine,” she agreed. She was too nervous to be hungry at the moment anyway. When they pulled up at Lux a little while later, she was confused, but went with it. She gasped when the elevator opened on the roof to find a helicopter and she was glad she went with one of the simpler hairstyles. “What’s this?” she asked over the whirring of the blades. </p><p>“Our ride to our first stop of the evening,” he told her as he helped her into the helicopter. “Via the scenic route of course.”</p><p>Ella leaned into his side as the helicopter took off and she just cuddled against him during the sunset helicopter ride which lasted almost an hour before landing on the roof of the New Beverly Cinema where they were met by an usher who led them inside the historic theater which was completely empty save for their escort who allowed them to pick out snacks and drinks. They still had the bottle of wine, which was placed on ice next to their seats in the theater. “What are we seeing?” Ella asked as they sat down and the lights went out. </p><p>“You’ll see in a moment,” Lucifer said smugly, lifting her hand to his lips for a kiss. Once the credits started rolling Ella squealed excitedly before slapping a hand over her mouth. “It’s only us here, darling. Feel free to make as much noise as you wish,” Lucifer told her amusedly. </p><p>“The original 1951 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still? How did you know?” she asked in awe. “And how did you do this all so fast just since last night?” </p><p>“I’m quite observant, my love, and I’ve had nearly two years to daydream about a perfect first date with you,” he grinned. </p><p>She grabbed his tie and pulled him in for a searing kiss before snuggling up to his side again and resting her head on his shoulder as they watched the movie. It was one of her favorites and a private showing in a historic theater was pretty much perfection. Even the whole fifties vibe harkening back to the original showing of the movie was absolutely perfect and she didn’t take her eyes off the screen the entire time, until the ending credits started to roll, when she turned and kissed him again. “This was perfect, Lucifer,” she breathed out as they finally got up and headed for the exit, only to be bowled over again as she saw who was waiting to greet them. </p><p>“Quentin! How are you my good man,” Lucifer said cheerfully as he shook his hand. </p><p>“Quite well, Lucifer, thank you. It’s great to see you,” Quentin Tarantino, the owner of the theater greeted him. </p><p>“Quentin, I’d like you to meet my darling Ella,” Lucifer introduced her, with his arm around her waist. </p><p>“Nice to meet you,” she managed to say as she shook his hand. </p><p>“Nice to meet you as well, Ella,” he told her. “Well I’ll let you two get on with your evening. I just wanted to say hello.”</p><p>“It was nice to see you again Quentin. We should do lunch sometime,” Lucifer told him as they left. “Dreadful man, but a genius when it comes to movie making,” Lucifer whispered to her once he was out of earshot making Ella giggle. </p><p>They met the helicopter again on the roof and took a scenic nighttime ride back to the roof at Lux. Once they landed, Lucifer helped her out of the helicopter and they walked around the central tower to the other side of the roof where her jaw dropped. There was a beautiful picnic laid out with finger foods and chilled wine, with an array of flowers decorating the roof and they had a perfect dinner under the stars. The few you could see from LA anyway. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, once they were done eating, he laid her down on the blanket and started pointing out the stars she could see and telling her a little about their creation from his point of view. </p><p>Ella was very glad that she had gone light on the wine for the evening because she wanted to remember every moment of this night. As much as she was enjoying his stories about the stars, and had every intention to ask for more one day, eventually she stopped him and turned his head towards her and kissed him deeply. It wasn’t long before he was on his side, half leaning over her as they kissed, but he was still keeping his hands from wandering too much. “Lucifer, I want you. Please,” she whispered during one of the rare moments that her lips were free. </p><p>“As you wish, my love,” he whispered back, sliding a hand up to untie the dress from around her neck. And she was sure that him managing to get it off her while barely moving her from her position was something like an angelic miracle. By the time she was naked, she was already sliding his upper layers off his shoulders and he was sliding down her body, lips and teeth and tongue trailing fire over every inch of her skin before reaching her core. </p><p>It seemed like both and instant and an eternity before stars exploded behind her eyes thanks to his talented mouth and she heard his zipper even as she was still riding out the wave. Once she had come down from it, he was sliding back up her body and she felt the tip of his erection pressing against her entrance. “Are you sure, Ella?” he asked softly and she nodded profusely, so he sheathed himself inside her with one quick thrust as he captured her lips in a loving kiss. They spent the next few hours making love under the stars and when they were finished and Lucifer could move again, he lifted Ella up, bridal style and carried her back to the elevator and down to the penthouse. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him all down his jaw and neck as he walked, taking the opportunity while they were in the elevator to steal his lips. Lucifer laid her in bed and joined her, pulling her lovingly to his side before whispering, “I love you, Ella.”</p><p>“I love you too, Lucifer,” she whispered back and they were both soon asleep.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucifer woke the next morning feeling more content and happier than he had been in a long time. Actually ever. So much so that he was rethinking his idea of yelling at his son, and considering thanking him. He buried his face in the head of dark hair resting on his shoulder and just breathed her in. It wasn’t long before she started to stir awake and he slid his hand up her arm to run through her hair as the other hand, trailed along her back. He waited until she opened her eyes before he said, “Good morning, my love.” </p><p>“Mmm. Morning,” she mumbled. “Time is it?” </p><p>“A little after eight,” he told her. “You can go back to sleep for a while if you want.” </p><p>“Uh-uh. ‘m up.”</p><p>“If you say so, dearest,” he chuckled. “How about some coffee and breakfast?” </p><p>“’kay,” she said but the whined pitifully when he slid out of bed and threw a robe on. He leaned down to press a kiss to her lips before heading to the kitchen. While the bacon was frying he took her a steaming cup of white mocha to the bedroom and set on the nightstand for her before heading back to finish breakfast. </p><p>Ella stumbled into the kitchen just as he was dishing it onto plates and he sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of her in one of his robes, hanging mostly open. Her coffee cup was almost empty so he refilled it, giving her a deep loving kiss as he did. “You are so beautiful,” he breathed out before going to get the plates. </p><p>“Oh please. I look like a mess, I’m sure,” she said with a smile. </p><p>“I don’t lie, remember darling,” he teased, reaching over to play with her hand as he ate. </p><p>By the time they were halfway through with their meal and she’d finished her second cup of coffee, Ella was feeling much more human. “Thank you, Lucifer. For the perfect night last night and breakfast this morning.”</p><p>“You never have to thank me for that, love,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“I should get going after breakfast,” Ella said regretfully. </p><p>“You don’t have to,” Lucifer offered. </p><p>“I know, but I need to head home and get ready for church,” she told him. </p><p>“Ah. Right. It’s that day of the week is it? Say hi to dear old dad for me,” he joked. </p><p>Ella chuckled. “You can count on it.” She had a few words for the big guy after learning a bit about Lucifer and Cain’s history. “Do you have any plans for today?” she asked curiously. </p><p>“Just lunch with Cain,” Lucifer told her. “I need to have a few words with him about his big mouth,” Lucifer told her, only partially joking. </p><p>“Because he told me?” she asked.</p><p>“And the detective, and who knows who else.”</p><p>“I’m sure that he’s not going around telling the whole world. I’m glad he told me since you obviously weren’t planning on it,” she stuck her tongue out at him and he huffed and grinned. “As far as Chloe, just keep in mind that she is his girlfriend, which means she should be his safe space to tell anything to. I mean, I get why you feel violated and all, but I think it’s more a matter of just trying to figure out how the whole relationship dynamic will work with you being such close friends with your son’s girlfriend…” She cut herself off before blushing. “I’m sorry. This is none of my business. It’s your family stuff.” </p><p>“Nonsense, love,” Lucifer assured her, pulling her hand to his lips and kissing it softly. “I am always happy to have your thoughts and opinions on any aspect of my life.” Who knew how bad he would screw things up without help. “And I will definitely consider that when I talk to him. You make a valid point. I still think he should have let me deal with things with you in my own time though.” </p><p>“Maybe, but sometimes people need a little push too. I’m not saying that you were there, but if he thought you were, then he was just trying to do the right thing and make you happy. You /are/ happy, aren’t you? Even though this wasn’t on your time?” she asked worriedly. </p><p>“I’m very happy, darling, and while good did come of it, I still would have appreciated it if he’d talked to me first before taking matters into his own hands,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“Then you should tell him that,” Ella agreed before looking at the clock and getting up. “Did we leave my dress on the roof last night?” </p><p>“It’s draped over the couch,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“Great. Thanks,” she kissed him before going to grab it and get dressed. She was running short on time. </p><p>“You can come back by this afternoon if you want to,” Lucifer offered. “I’m not sure what time I’ll be home, but you’re more than welcome to wait for me.”</p><p>Ella smiled brightly. “I’ll be back this afternoon then. And maybe…” she bit her lip nervously. </p><p>“Maybe what, darling?” </p><p>“Maybe I should bring my clothes for work on Monday?” </p><p>“That would be a good idea,” Lucifer told her, pulling her in for one more searing kiss. “Now you better go before you’re late.” </p><p>“Oh crap. I don’t have my car here,” she just remembered. </p><p>“Right. Of course,” Lucifer said heading to the bedroom to grab his phone. “Car will be outside in five minutes,” he told her. </p><p>“Thank you, Lucifer,” she said relieved. </p><p>“Anytime, dearest.” </p><p>Once she was gone, Lucifer jumped in the shower and lounged around for a little while before he had to head out to lunch. When he got there, he noticed that he was there first and Marcus ended up being about five minutes late. “Okay, I’m here. What do you want?” </p><p>“What? Can’t a father have lunch with his son without having any ulterior motives?” Lucifer asked. He wanted to save the serious discussion for later at least. </p><p>Pierce sighed and grabbed a menu. He’d been afraid this was going to end up being a bonding type thing. It seemed he was right. “Fine. What do you want to talk about?” </p><p>It seemed this was going to be like pulling teeth again. Lucifer had hoped that they were past this, but Linda had warned him that it would likely be one step forward two steps back for a while. Maybe if he started out with something more personal… “Thank you. For Ella,” he told him. </p><p>Marcus shrugged. “It was only fair.” </p><p>“Yes, well, while I do appreciate the result, maybe next time you can at least try talking to me first?” Lucifer asked hopefully. </p><p>“Yeah, okay,” he agreed. </p><p>Lucifer resisted the urge to bang his head on the table. It would be so very undignified. They were interrupted by the waitress taking their orders before Lucifer tried a different angle. “So your wings came back huh? I’m guessing since you gave Ella my car that you flew from there?” </p><p>“Yup.” </p><p>“Was it nice to fly again after so long?” </p><p>“It was fine.” </p><p>Lucifer closed his eyes and counted to ten before opening them and trying a different tact. “Tell me what to do here, Cain. Please.” </p><p>“What do you want from me?” he asked. </p><p>“I want to spend some time with my son. Get to know you. I want you to let me in,” Lucifer all but begged. </p><p>“I don’t know if I can,” Marcus said wearily. “Do you know how long it’s been since I let anyone in?” </p><p>“You let the detective in,” Lucifer pointed out. </p><p>“I didn’t spend my entire life hating her either.”</p><p>Lucifer sighed sadly. “Look I know you hate me and you have very good reason to, but does the fact that I’m trying mean anything at all?” </p><p>Pierce sighed and shook his head. “I don’t hate you, Lucifer. Not anymore. Not really. It’s just not that easy to turn it off.” </p><p>“Yeah. I get that,” Lucifer told him. “I just don’t know what more I can do. Just tell me what you need. What you want. Anything.” Now that he didn’t have a specific goal, he felt like he was floundering. First it was getting the curse removed and then it was fixing things with the detective, but he didn’t know what else he had to offer since that was done. </p><p>“That’s the problem, Lucifer. I don’t need anything from you. I’ve lived my whole life alone. I know how to fit a lover into the picture, but I’ve never had a father to worry about. I just don’t know how.” </p><p>Lucifer nodded as he remembered something that Linda offered. It remained to be seen if his son would accept it, but he had to at least try. “Would you be willing to give family counseling a try? My therapist is very good.” </p><p>“I don’t do the whole talking thing well.” </p><p>“Neither did I when I started,” Lucifer told him. “Just give it a try? Please?” </p><p>“I’ll think about it.” </p><p>“Good. Now can we try to at least have a pleasant meal for now?” </p><p>“I guess.”</p><p>“Good. So you pick a topic since the ones I’m picking aren’t doing much good. Tell me something about yourself. Anything.” </p><p>“I collect rocks,” he told him. “Whenever I go to a new place I take a rock from there for my collection.” </p><p>“That’s something,” Lucifer smiled. “Do you have any favorites?” </p><p>“Places or rocks?” </p><p>“Either. Both.” </p><p>Things went better from there and they managed to have an almost normal conversation, but Marcus left pretty much the second the meal was done. At least he didn’t leave angry though, so Lucifer considered it a win.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Lucifer got home, he found Ella sitting on his couch waiting for him and he felt his heart skip. He could get used to her being here. If he didn’t think it would scare her off, he would ask her to move in immediately. He smiled brightly and slid next to her, wrapping her in his arms with a kiss. “How was lunch?” she asked. </p><p>“Difficult,” Lucifer said. “We barely even got to the subjects I wanted to talk about, but that’s probably a good thing. It took half the meal before I even managed to get more than one word answers.”</p><p>Ella chuckled. “He doesn’t really seem much like the wordy type,” she pointed out. </p><p>“I know, and I get that, but how am I supposed to get to know him if he won’t talk to me?” Lucifer asked helplessly. </p><p>Ella reached up and touched his cheek sympathetically. “You know a lot about me that I never told you. How did you know that?” she asked pointedly, already knowing the answer herself, but needing him to realize it. </p><p>“Just paying attention,” Lucifer sighed with a nod. “Thank you, darling. That doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying to get him to talk to me though.” </p><p>“Of course not,” Ella laughed. “It will be amusing to see which of you can outstubborn the other.” </p><p>They spent the rest of the day and night wrapped up together and the next morning, Ella went to work while Lucifer headed to his therapy appointment. </p><p>Once Lucifer updated her on everything that happened since his last session she just blinked at him for a moment before she found words. “Talk about an eventful few days.” There was so much that she wanted to address there, but decided to start with the part that Lucifer was so worried about. His relationship with his son. “Tell me more about the lunch you two had.” Lucifer told her everything that had been said between them regarding their relationship or lack of and Linda nodded. “Okay the first thing you need to realize is that he does care.” </p><p>“He doesn’t act like it,” Lucifer said with a sigh. </p><p>“Yes, he does,” Linda told him. “Maybe not in the ways you’re used to seeing, but he does. He went to Ella because he wanted you to be happy. When he fell apart, he let you comfort him. He accepted your help. He told Chloe and Ella both that you were his father. That’s acceptance.”</p><p>“I hadn’t thought of it like that,” Lucifer said. </p><p>“I know. Because you express yourself differently, sometimes you miss the ways other people express themselves. It’s perfectly normal. You /are/ making progress. Trying to force it though could undo it.”</p><p>“Then what do I do? Just sit back and do nothing?” </p><p>“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” she shook her head, glad that he at least wasn’t walking out with that revelation and giving her a chance to correct it. “Maybe try things that are a little less confronting. That don’t put him on the spot. You’re both dating someone now. Maybe a dinner with Ella, Chloe, and Trixie. That way you two have a chance to spend time together but without the pressure of it just being the two of you.”</p><p>Lucifer brightened up at that. “That’s an excellent idea, doctor. Thank you. Any other brilliant suggestions?” </p><p>“Actually, yes,” she told him, getting up and going to the closet. “This is something that I often use in family therapy sessions,” she handed over a box with a slit in the top. “In here are some simple get to know you questions that you can make a game of. You mentioned that you did okay with the trading questions deal, but it can be easy to run out of questions. This can help you break the ice when it’s just the two of you or in a group, but he probably wouldn’t be comfortable sharing like this with the whole group.” </p><p>Lucifer nodded and took the box like it was made of gold. “I can’t thank you enough for your help here, doctor.” </p><p>“You’re very welcome, Lucifer,” she smiled brightly. “Now let’s talk about you and Ella. You mentioned wanting her to move in with you…”</p><p>By the time Lucifer left, he was feeling a lot better and headed to the precinct, stopping to get coffee and pastries for everyone on the way, saving the drop-off with Marcus until last so that he could secure dinner acceptances from everyone else first. By the time he got to the lieutenant’s office, Pierce was deep into paperwork. Lucifer put the coffee and bear claw on the desk and sat on the edge of it. “What do you want, Lucifer?” he asked tiredly. </p><p>“I’m making dinner on Friday evening. A group thing this time. Less pressure. Ella and the detective have already agreed to come…” </p><p>Pierce sighed. “Fine. I’ll be there.”</p><p>“Excellent. And if all goes well perhaps we could have lunch again on Sunday. Doctor Linda gave me this game that she plays with people trying to reconnect. It’s something like our question deal from the first night we talked, but with pre-prepared questions.” </p><p>“We’ll see,” was all he would say to that. He had to admit that it would be easier than trying to force conversation and he /did/ want to connect with his father. He just didn’t know how to go about it. Maybe something more structured like that would help. He wasn’t going to decide until after the dinner either way though. </p><p>When Friday rolled around, there thankfully weren’t any active cases which allowed Lucifer the chance to take the afternoon off to start cooking. He was going with Greek tonight and moussaka was rather time consuming. Ella was the first to arrive and was in heaven at the smells permeating the penthouse, making her way to the kitchen. “Hello, love. Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes,” he told her, getting the china out to set the table. </p><p>She went over and grabbed the utensils to help him out. She’d been staying every night this week so she was more than familiar with where everything was. “It smells amazing. What are we having?” </p><p>“Moussaka with stuffed peppers and chickpea salad,” he told her. </p><p>“Sounds amazing too. Need help with anything?” she asked. </p><p>“I have everything under control, darling,” he assured her, giving her a short kiss before heading back to mixing the salad, keeping one eye on the oven as they chatted. </p><p>“Lucifer?! You here?!” he heard Marcus call. </p><p>“In the kitchen!” he called back as he was pulling the last of the food from the oven. “You have excellent timing,” he said as Marcus, Chloe, and Trixie walked in. </p><p>“Greek?” Marcus asked with a raised eyebrow. </p><p>“I’ve been dying to try this moussaka recipe for ages and it seemed like the perfect time,” Lucifer told him as they all sat around the table and started dishing out the food. </p><p>Trixie scrunched up her nose at the salad. “Just try a little bit Trix. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to have more.”</p><p>“Okay,” she said skeptically and her eyes widened when one of the stuffed peppers was put on her plate. “Aren’t those really hot?” </p><p>“The cooking method as well as the filling cuts much of the heat from the peppers,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>“Just like with the salad. Try it first,” Chloe told her. </p><p>Ella chuckled. It really wasn’t the best menu for a kid, but he had put so much effort and work into it that she didn’t want to say anything. </p><p>The dinner actually went really well and even Marcus came out of his shell more than usual. True to Linda’s prediction, the group setting made him feel less on the spot and helped him to relax. Once they were finished eating, Trixie said, “Can we play some games?” </p><p>“I don’t know that I have any…well…I do have Twister,” Lucifer said thoughtfully. “I usually use it for…never mind,” he cut himself off, making all the adults either laugh or roll their eyes. </p><p>“Twister sounds fun,” Chloe interjected before her boyfriend could turn it down. She and Ella had been conspiring all week to try and help their men fix their relationship and Chloe had brought some board games that she left in the car, but twister definitely had it’s advantages. </p><p>There was a lot of laughter from everyone and grumbling from Marcus who ended up being the first one out. He refused to admit that he was having fun though. Chloe was the next to join him at the side and helped him run the spinner. Soon enough it was down to just Lucifer and Trixie as Ella huffed, plopping down next to them. “I thought I was flexible, but those two are ridiculous. I mean, Trixie I get. Kids are made of rubber anyway, but Lucifer…”</p><p>“I’m not the least bit surprised,” Marcus said dryly. </p><p>“It’s not an angel thing is it?” Chloe asked. She doubted it since Marcus was out so early. Unless he intentionally threw the game. </p><p>Marcus snorted. “No. Definitely not. But the guy has the entire karma sutra memorized, you know.” </p><p>Ella laughed. “He’s got a point there.” </p><p>“And I don’t want any details thank you,” Marcus told her quickly. </p><p>“I’m not Lucifer,” Ella chuckled. “I wasn’t planning to give you any.” </p><p>“Hey! That was a cheap shot!” they suddenly heard Lucifer exclaim landing on the mat.</p><p>“Sorry, my foot slipped,” Trixie said smugly. </p><p>Lucifer reached out and pushed her wrist, making her fall too. “Sorry. My hand slipped,” he teased. </p><p>“That’s okay. I won anyway,” she laughed running over to her mother for protection from retaliation. </p><p>“Okay, why don’t we break out the monopoly now before anyone comes to blows,” Chloe laughed. </p><p>“I don’t have…”</p><p>“I brought it,” Chloe told him. “I just need to go grab it from the car.” She was gone before anyone could disagree. </p><p>It was a good thing it was Friday night because by the time the game ended it was nearly midnight and Trixie was starting to fade. Marcus picked her up to carry her to the car since she was already half asleep, and told his father as he was leaving, “Egyptian for lunch, on Sunday?” </p><p>“Count on it,” Lucifer said with a grin, reaching out to squeeze his son’s shoulder. </p><p>Once they were gone, Ella wound her arm around Lucifer’s waist and said, “I have some things to do at home on Sunday after church.” </p><p>Lucifer pulled her into a soft kiss in thanks and finally took the chance to suggest, “If you wanted one of those things to be packing, that would be okay.”</p><p>“Packing for what…” she suddenly trailed off as she realized what he was asking. “You want me to…move in with you?” </p><p>“I know it’s soon, but I would love it whenever you’re ready.” She’d already been here for almost a whole week anyway. </p><p>“Sunday sounds like a good day to be ready,” she said with a grin, jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. He caught her expertly and they retired to the bedroom for the night. Lucifer would clean up in the morning.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Marcus arrived for lunch on Sunday, Lucifer had done up one of his favorite Egyptian dishes. “Kushari. Ambitious,” Marcus said, reluctantly impressed. </p><p>“I’ve made a few adjustments of my own to the standard recipe,” Lucifer told him as they sat down to eat. </p><p>“So we doing this whole game thing during lunch or after?” </p><p>“That’s up to you,” Lucifer told him. Marcus shrugged so Lucifer pulled out the box. “You want first pick?” </p><p>Marcus reached in and pulled out a card and read it aloud. “What is your favorite thing about your job?” </p><p>“Well I have two jobs so I suppose I have two answers,” Lucifer said with a chuckle. “Working with the police allows me to catch and punish criminals which is part of who I am, but it also lets me solve puzzles which is fun. The club gives me the chance to allow people to let loose and have fun.”</p><p>“Their fun is what you like?” Marcus asked confused. </p><p>“Of course. I mean, I have fun too, naturally, but it’s as much because of the atmosphere that they create as anything else.” </p><p>“I guess my favorite thing about my job is the fact that there is always something new. It doesn’t get nearly as stale and boring as most other things.” </p><p>“That’s understandable. I know how tiresome the same thing day after day can be.”</p><p>“What do you know? You’ve been on Earth what? Five years?” Marcus scoffed. </p><p>Lucifer remembered him saying something like that once before, and had let it go then, but wasn’t going to this time. “Yes, and I was in heaven for a few million years and then in hell for even longer due to time moving slower there,” he pointed out. “Six thousand years is nothing. Wait until you’ve lived tens of millions of years.” </p><p>“How do you stand it?” Marcus asked wide-eyed, as he realized that his father was right. He was beyond bored already. He could imagine living as long as Lucifer had. </p><p>“You find something or someone that you love and you hold onto it, and allow it to change when it needs to. Music for example.” </p><p>“But I’ve done everything there is to do.”</p><p>“But have you /mastered/ everything?” Lucifer asked getting a shake of the head in response. “Then find something that you enjoy and dig deeper. See where it takes you. And when you’ve exhausted that thing, find something else.” </p><p>“I’ll…consider that. Thank you,” Marcus said, honestly grateful. The conversation had helped him to realize that even death wouldn’t fix anything. He would just end up bored in heaven or tortured in hell. He would exist for eternity regardless and he was glad to have some tips for dealing with it. “Your turn to pick a question.” </p><p>“Who was the last person to make you cry and why?” Lucifer read. </p><p>“Seriously?” Marcus asked skeptically and Lucifer turned the card around so he could see it. “This is so stupid.” </p><p>“No it’s not. I’ll even answer first if it makes you feel better,” Lucifer offered. When Marcus didn’t protest, he said, “Beatrice was the last person to make me cry…”</p><p>“What?” Marcus snapped his head up in surprise. </p><p>“She asked to see my devil face and against my better judgement, with her mother’s permission, I allowed them to see it. Beatrice…touched me. She was…compassionate about it and then…she said that my dad was bad for hurting me. No one had ever…cared like that before.” </p><p>“That’s sort of the same as mine. No one had ever cared so much about me like you did when you wouldn’t let me go to hell, even breaking your word to stop it.” </p><p>Lucifer reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. “And I will always do anything in my power to stop it. And if it ever does happen, I will do anything to fix it.” </p><p>“I…I should help you clean up this mess,” Marcus said, grabbing the empty dishes from the table and taking them to the sink. </p><p>Lucifer sighed sadly at the end of the conversation, but allowed the retreat and got up to help. Once they were all cleaned up, Lucifer took the box to the living room and handed it to Marcus before pouring them both a drink. The afternoon went relatively well. Lucifer had to answer out of turn a few times to draw an answer out of Marcus, but they were getting somewhere. Right up until Marcus pulled a question from the box and paled slightly. “What is it?” Lucifer asked worriedly. </p><p>Marcus shook his head, dropped the question back in the box before knocking it off the table as he stood up. “I quit,” he said, already halfway to the elevator. </p><p>“Cain, wait!” Lucifer called getting up to go after him, but missed him as the elevator doors closed and sighed. Instead he went back to pick up the mess and see if he could figure out what question could have caused that reaction. Maybe then he would have an idea how to handle this. Unfortunately, even after going through them all, he was no closer to an answer. </p><p>Marcus went downstairs and straight to the bar since Lux had just opened and was relatively busy for a Sunday afternoon. Part of him knew that he was overreacting, but that question had just brought back too much. He tossed back drink after drink even as the place got busier and he got jostled quite a few times. Eventually he could feel his anger building in a haze and it finally reached a boiling point. He headed back to the elevator and up to the penthouse. </p><p>“Cain? What’s…” Lucifer was cut off by a right cross to the face and he fell to a knee. </p><p>“Stop calling me that! It’s Marcus! Not Cain!” he yelled, throwing another punch as Lucifer got to his feet, this one knocking him back against the bar which he grabbed hold of to keep himself on his feet. “Fight back, damnit!” </p><p>“No,” Lucifer said, gripping the bar tightly. “I’m not going to hit you. You have every right to be angry with me. To hate me.”</p><p>“Damn right I do!” Marcus said taking another swing, and another. Eventually, Lucifer lost his grip on the bar and hit the floor and Marcus kicked him a few times before diving on top of him and pummeling him, all the while yelling about him not being there, leaving them, everything bad that he could have prevented. </p><p>He was only interrupted by a gasp and a crash. “Marcus what are you doing!?” Ella yelled, seeing the scene as she rushed towards him. When he turned to her, she could see something in his eyes that scared the hell out of her and she couldn’t help but take a step back, reaching into her purse for her gun as he stalked towards her, but then it started to fade and he froze, looking like he was visibly fighting himself. </p><p>Marcus managed to fight through the haze of anger and he could recognize something very off about it now. He grabbed a glass from the bar and ran around the other side to grab one of the hell-forged blades that Lucifer kept there and dragged a cut along his arm, letting his blood drip into the glass. “Take this to the lab please and see what I was drugged with. Just don’t let the angelic blood hit the database.”</p><p>“Lucifer…” she whispered in tears as she saw him laying there unconscious and bleeding. </p><p>“I’ll…I’ll take care of him. I’ll find a way to…to fix this…”</p><p>“Hospital,” she ordered. </p><p>Marcus shook his head. “No. They won’t even be able to get an IV in him. There’s nothing they can do. I…I’ll call Amenadiel. He’ll know what to do.”</p><p>“Okay…you’re sure you’re good now?” she asked worriedly. </p><p>“I’m in control now,” he assured her. He could still feel it tickling the edges of his senses, but it had faded enough for him to be able to control it. One good thing about angelic physiology, at least. </p><p>“Okay,” she said going to the kitchen and grabbing a cup with a lid to pour the blood into for the drive. Leaving Lucifer like this was killing her, but the sooner they figured out what kind of drug could affect Marcus this way the better. </p><p>Marcus grabbed Lucifer’s phone, glad that he kept it unlocked just like he kept the penthouse unlocked and called Amenadiel. “Luci?” he answered in surprise. </p><p>“No. It’s Pierce. We need you at the penthouse now. It’s an emergency,” he said. </p><p>“Is my brother okay?” </p><p>“No. Hurry,” he said hanging up the phone and using his little bit of first aid training to do the little he could manage. Even he could tell that Lucifer was dying though.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amenadiel arrived twenty minutes after the call and rushed over. “What happened?” he asked in shock. </p><p>“It doesn’t matter. How do we help him?” Marcus asked, only his training keeping him from being frantic. </p><p>“We can’t,” Amenadiel told him. </p><p>“That’s not good enough.” </p><p>“If I still had my wings, then maybe…but I don’t,” Amenadiel told him. </p><p>“Wings? What do they have to do with anything?” Marcus asked. </p><p>“The feathers have healing properties.”</p><p>“Would mine have the healing properties since I’m only half angel?” </p><p>“I don’t know for sure. They should, but you don’t have your wings anymore either…” he trailed off as the sky blue wings stretched from Marcus’ back. “You got them back.”</p><p>“Yeah. So tell me what to do.” </p><p>“It’s not that simple,” Amenadiel told him. “He is going to need a lot of feathers in this condition. There will be consequences.”</p><p>“What kind of consequences?” he asked worriedly. </p><p>“I don’t know. This has never been done before,” Amenadiel told him. </p><p>“No angel has ever been hurt this badly before?” he asked skeptically. </p><p>“They have, but Raphael was a healer. He can heal without the feathers so he always took care of it.”</p><p>“Then how do we get him here?” </p><p>“He won’t come. Not for Lucifer,” Amenadiel told him. </p><p>Marcus paced, knuckles turning white in his fists as the anger tried to take over his mind again, this time not at his father though. He went back to his knees at his father’s side and reached back taking a handful of feathers as the anger was overcome by agony, and not by the physical kind. “Tell me what to do.” </p><p>“The consequences…”</p><p>“Damn the consequences. I can count on one hand the number of people who have ever given a damn about him and all but one has been recently. He sacrifices everything for everyone else and no one ever cares. It’s about time someone sacrificed something for him. Now TELL ME WHAT TO DO!” </p><p>“Place a feather over each injury. I’d suggest saving his head for last so he doesn’t wake up and disturb the process, but if you want to save him you’ll have to work quickly,” Amenadiel said. </p><p>Marcus nodded and started pulling the feathers from his hand one by one, starting with his chest. It took four feathers to take care of all the broken ribs and three more for his stomach and sides with the internal injuries. He got one arm taken care of with the rest of the feathers and grabbed another handful from the opposite wing, feeling his emotions spinning out of control as he did and quickly finished the healing. Lucifer sucked in a sharp breath as he sat up. He took one look at his brother and his son there and he immediately flew away. </p><p>Marcus could feel the tears welling up in him and couldn’t control it. “What’s happening to me?” he asked. </p><p>“The consequences I mentioned. Your feathers are connected directly to your soul. Your divinity. Removing them in larger numbers causes emotional instability among other things.” </p><p>“Where did Dad go?” he asked as the tears began to fall. </p><p>“I don’t know. You would have a better chance of finding him than I ever could. You’re connected to him now,” Amenadiel said. </p><p>“Right. Okay. How?” </p><p>“Just close your eyes and try to sense him.” </p><p>Marcus did that and then flew away himself a moment later, finding himself on the roof of Lux. “If you just healed me because you weren’t finished taking your anger out and wanted me to feel it, I wish you hadn’t bothered,” Lucifer said hauntedly as he leaned on the wall around the edge, looking over the city. </p><p>Marcus grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, crushing him into a hug. “I’m sorry, dad. I’m so so sorry. I didn’t mean it.” </p><p>Lucifer relaxed a bit and hugged him back, lifting one hand to run through his hair, feeling the emotional whiplash himself, but trying to put it aside and be what his son needed. “You know I’ll always forgive you, son, but obviously you did mean it on some level.” He never would have imagined that his own son would come so close to killing him, but he couldn’t say that he didn’t deserve it. </p><p>“No. I mean…maybe a little, but mostly…I was drugged. I don’t know with what. Lopez is trying to find out. I…I didn’t know what I was doing or…or saying…and I’m so sorry.” </p><p>Lucifer stepped out of the hug and put a hand on either side of Marcus’ cheeks, looking deep into his eyes worriedly. “You were drugged?” he asked, looking for any further signs. “Is that why you’re so…out of sorts right now?” </p><p>Marcus shook his head, tears still flowing. “No. The…the drugs are gone now mostly. A-Amenadiel said it was be-because I had to use so many feathers to heal you…” </p><p>“You…” Lucifer gasped. “L-let me see your wings.”</p><p>Marcus spread his wings, showing the two bald patches, and Lucifer felt his own eyes filling with tears as he reached out and ran a hand over them, straightening the surrounding feathers. “Oh Cain,” he said sadly. “Sorry…Marcus.” </p><p>Marcus shook his head. “Cain is fine. For you anyway.” </p><p>“Amenadiel let you do this?”</p><p>“He tried to stop me. Kept talking about consequences, but I didn’t care. I /don’t/ care. You’re more important than any consequences. I…I couldn’t have lived with myself if…if you’d…” </p><p>Lucifer wrapped him in a tight hug and when he felt his son’s wings wrap around him, he pulled his own to wrap around them as well. They stood there wrapped in each other’s arms and wings for a long while before Lucifer found words. “I would never have chosen this for you, Cain, but thank you.” </p><p>Marcus managed to collect himself enough to move from the embrace as he asked, “Amenadiel told me a little bit, but what can I expect from these consequences.”</p><p>“Well until the feathers grow back, you’ll have some emotional instability, which I’m sure you’ve noticed.”</p><p>“I didn’t have any problems like that when I cut my wings off completely though.”</p><p>“If you cut them off at the wing joint, you wouldn’t. Not really anyway. Just a sense of loss. That severs the connection between your wings and your soul.” </p><p>“Is that why I’ve been feeling…I don’t know…lighter I guess, since they came back?” </p><p>Lucifer nodded and continued. “As far as other consequences, I’m not sure. How many feathers did you use on me?” </p><p>“About twenty.” </p><p>Lucifer sucked in a sharp breath. He hadn’t imagined that he had been that bad off. “Then we probably have a pretty deep connection. How that will manifest, I don’t have a clue.”</p><p>“I was able to sense you up here. That’s how I found you.” </p><p>“That’s not so bad. If we’re lucky that’s all there will be.” </p><p>“What else could there be?” </p><p>“Anything from hearing each other’s thoughts to essentially coming to share a mind, or having to stay within a certain distance of each other, there’s really no telling.”</p><p>Marcus’ eyes widened and he had to take a moment to remind himself that it had been necessary. “Well, we can hope that it’s not so bad then.” </p><p>“It might be better because of the bond already between us as father and son. Or the fact that you are only half angel could make it weaker. Or those things could make it stronger, but my money would be on weaker.” </p><p>“Oh! Before I forget…You should call Lopez and let her know you’re fine.” </p><p>Lucifer nodded and pulled out his phone. “Yes, love it’s me,” he said when she answered. “I’m fine now…Cain healed me with Amenadiel’s coaching…yes, I know…alright, let me know what you find?...thank you darling…I love you…” </p><p>“All good?” Marcus asked. </p><p>“Yes. She wanted to make sure I knew that you were drugged. She’s still trying to figure out what kind of drug. The angelic markers in the blood are making it hard for her to isolate. It’s too bad none of us celestials on Earth know much about genetics.”</p><p>“If anyone can figure it out she can. And when I find out who drugged me, I’ll kill them.” </p><p>“Do you have any idea where it happened at least?” Lucifer asked. </p><p>“It had to be in Lux. That’s the only place I was.” </p><p>“In MY club?!” Lucifer exclaimed. “I gotta go.” He flew downstairs and made it look like he was coming out of the elevator and signaled the deejay to cut the music. “Everyone put your drinks down where they are and file out. No tabs will be charged. If you notice yourself feeling off, go to the hospital immediately. I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but there was at least one drink drugged and I don’t want to risk anything happening to anyone else. I assure you that I will ensure that the guilty party is found and punished.” </p><p>Once he finished speaking there was a mass exodus for the exit as Marcus stepped out of the elevator. The vast majority of the patrons held no grudge against Lux for the incident. In fact, just the opposite. He’d learned of a problem and immediately shut everything down and done whatever he could to protect them. Things like that were always a risk anywhere you went to drink or even eat, but he had handled it as best he could rather than try to cover it up. </p><p>Lucifer watched to make sure that everyone made it out safely before turning to Marcus. “I’m afraid we need you in your Lieutenant capacity for the moment.”</p><p>“Right. I’ll get a team here to contain the scene and test everything. We’ll need to interview all of the employees and as complete a list as you can get me of everyone who was here tonight.” </p><p>“I can do that. Hardly anyone pays cash, so their credit cards will be on their tabs. I’ll have Jimmy compile the names as he closes them out,” Lucifer told him. No one messed with his club and got away with it. </p><p>Marcus took out his phone and made the calls as Lucifer headed up in the elevator to get a drink of his own that he could be sure wasn’t contaminated and brought the whole bottle down along with a glass for Marcus too, who shook his head. “I can’t be seen drinking on the job, but thanks.” Lucifer nodded and started to make his way down the stairs to talk to the bartender, but Marcus reached a hand out to his shoulder to stop him. “Oh and Dad? I’ll do the family counseling thing.” </p><p>Lucifer turned and smiled at him. “Thank you, son.”</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Unfortunately the press arrived before the police did and the bouncers outside the door were hard pressed to keep them back. “I need to go give a statement. Would you care to join me Lieutenant?” </p><p>“I probably should, yes.” If nothing else then to make sure that Lucifer didn’t make anything worse. </p><p>“Very well. Just remember, I don’t openly broadcast that I work with the LAPD. It would make certain contacts of mine clam up.” </p><p>“I know. I got it,” Pierce told him. </p><p>Lucifer strolled to the doors and outside, causing the cameramen to take a step back and keep him in their view as the reporters jumped into his face. Lucifer held out his hands. “If you would all back up and give us some room, I would be happy to answer your questions,” he assured them. That was enough to calm them down and they waited patiently. </p><p>Lucifer pointed to one of the reporters to start them off. “There were reports of mass poisonings here. Can you tell us what happened?” </p><p>Lucifer laughed and shook his head. “Once again, reports have been exaggerated. I got word of a single person having their drink spiked and immediately took the precautionary action of shutting everything down while an investigation is carried out. We are waiting for a forensics team from the police to come in and test all of the drinks, both poured and still in the bottle and attempt to learn how this happened and who the perpetrator is.”</p><p>“Will the people still be charged for their potentially drugged drinks?” </p><p>“No. All tabs for the afternoon and evening have been cancelled and all completely transactions will be refunded as soon as possible. Anyone who paid cash for their drinks is welcome to return when we reopen for a cash refund.”</p><p>“What steps will you take to ensure this doesn’t happen again?” </p><p>“Off the top, I can tell you that I will be expanding my security staff  so that there are more eyes watching for anything out of the ordinary. Beyond that it will depend on what is learned about how this happened in the first place. I assure you all, and all of my patrons, that any holes in the security of this establishment will be closed before we reopen for business. The safety of my customers is my primary concern.” </p><p>“Who is that with you?” </p><p>Pierce stepped forward. “I am Lieutenant Marcus Pierce of LAPD.” He left off the homicide part, not wanting to cause speculation to run wild. “I happened to be present during the incident and offered to stay and help Mr. Morningstar contain the scene.” </p><p>“And it seems as if the police have arrived, so if you will please disperse and allow them to do their jobs, I will be happy to answer any more of your questions when I can. Thank you,” Lucifer cut in. </p><p>Thankfully they did back off, but still stayed within eyesight of the club even as the last of the teams entered and Lucifer shut and locked the doors, bringing the bouncers back inside as well to be interviewed. He was only a little bit surprised to see Ella with the forensics team and he walked over and gave her a kiss, which she returned gratefully, glad to see him okay. “Is it bad that I’m kinda hoping at least one of these drinks was spiked too? That will be a much easier way to see what we’re dealing with.”</p><p>“As long as it’s one of the full drinks,” Lucifer said with a chuckle, fully understanding her position. </p><p>She looked around at the scene as she made a mental plan for tackling it and she sighed. “It’s going to be a long night.”</p><p>“For all of us, love,” Lucifer told her. </p><p>Chloe was among the detectives interviewing employees along with half a dozen detectives from vice. She argued her way in when Marcus called her since the club was owned by her partner. Lucifer wouldn’t be able to participate in the investigation, but she could. Lucifer’s only allowed contribution was releasing the surveillance video and customer lists. The detective interviewing him told him at the end, “It’s rather refreshing dealing with something like this when the owner works with us and knows how to handle things rather than trying to cover it up.” </p><p>“Yes, well, as I told the press, the safety of my customers is far more important than any loss of revenue,” Lucifer told him. Money was just money. People were far more important. </p><p>They found three more spiked drinks throughout the club and thanks to fingerprints and surveillance video the people drinking them were tracked down and informed and checked on to make sure they were okay. Lucifer argued himself onto the notification team to offer his personal apologies and assure them that if they chose to return they would drink free for an entire evening. All three of the women were more than touched by his personal attention and promised to come back as soon as they were open again. </p><p>The culprit was found to be the newest bartender that Lucifer had hired who was testing out a new drug that his cousin had developed. Lucifer immediately fired him, even if the handcuffs weren’t a clue and resolved to start using his powers to test his employees regularly. He used to do that, but Linda had brought up questions on the morality of it, so he’d stopped. He wouldn’t be making that mistake again. </p><p>Every bottle in the club that had a broken seal was tested and they all came up clean, so he was only dosing the drinks as they were made, so the club opened back up on Tuesday afternoon. Lucifer had gotten stills from the surveillance of the only three people to pay cash and gave them to the new, fully vetted, bartender with instructions to give them however much they said they spent if they came in. He didn’t care if they lied and got more than they spent. It was only money and he was trying to reclaim his reputation. </p><p>Once all that was settled, they could get back to everything that had been put on hold by the crisis. Including getting Ella moved in which was done by the end of the week. Lucifer decided, with input from the others, to make the Friday night dinner and game night a tradition, so decided to go with central American dishes this week in honor of his new live-in girlfriend who very much appreciated it. As Marcus, Chloe, and Trixie were leaving, Marcus asked if they were doing Sunday lunch again and Lucifer quickly agreed. After how it had gone last time, he had been afraid to bring it up. </p><p>When Sunday rolled around, Ella told him she was going to go hang out with Chloe after church while the menfolk talked so it was just the two of them. Once they sat down to lunch, Lucifer said nervously, “It dawned on me with what happened last week that you never had anyone around to teach you about your angelic side. Would you…let me?” It was one of the last fatherly things that he had left at Marcus’ age. </p><p>“Yeah. I guess. It would be nice to know at least.” </p><p>Lucifer grinned happily. “And maybe we can go flying together sometime?” he tried to take a mile. </p><p>“And let everyone see two angels flying around the sky? Even in LA that will draw attention,” Marcus pointed out. </p><p>“No one will notice anything,” Lucifer told him, realizing just how much he didn’t know. “The divinity in the wings keeps anyone who doesn’t already know about us from seeing anything. Occasionally it will fail in young children who are more open to such things, but no one else will see so it’s just chalked up to their imaginations. As long as we don’t actively draw attention by dive bombing people or something, we’ll be all but invisible.” </p><p>“Oh. I never realized that,” Marcus told him. “Yeah, maybe we can go flying sometime then.” </p><p>“Great!” Lucifer said cheerfully and turned the conversation to the different things that Marcus could do that he’d never learned and how to figure out his gifts. He would get to teach his son so much about his angel side and he couldn’t wait. Once they finished eating, they had their first lesson on accessing his gifts and by the time that Marcus left, he had a much better handle on it. </p><p>The next morning was their first family counseling session with Linda, having taken over Lucifer’s usual Monday morning time slot, and Marcus was more than a little nervous. Linda had gotten permission from Lucifer to bring up things from his personal sessions in this so she didn’t have to try and juggle who knew what which made things easier. When Marcus was barely speaking, Linda told Lucifer, “Maybe we should start with you telling him what you told me about how you felt when you learned he was your son.”</p><p>“Do I have to?” Lucifer asked with a wince. </p><p>“You don’t /have/ to, no. But if you want him to open up to you, it’s only fair if you open up to him as well.” </p><p>Lucifer sighed and nodded, turning to Marcus who was looking at him warily, wondering how bad this was going to be. “I always swore, from the time I was old enough to comprehend the idea, that if I had children I would be different than my father. I would be there for them, love them, support them, encourage them to be themselves no matter where that led. I swore that no child of mine would ever have to wonder whether they were loved. Then I found out about you and I realized that I had failed. The most important promise that I ever made, I’d broken without even knowing it. I…I felt like…like I really was the monster that humanity has always considered me.” </p><p>Marcus could see the tears shining in his father’s eyes as he realized just how much he’d meant it. He’d heard bits of that at different times, usually when he wasn’t prepared to listen, but having it all laid out like that was more than a little humbling. He reached out and put his hand on Lucifer’s arm. “It wasn’t your fault, Dad. If you had known you would have been there. It sucked, yeah. Growing up without a father and spending most of my life thinking that you hated me and hating you back. But it wasn’t your fault. As long as you stick around now, you haven’t broken your promise. It’s not too late.” </p><p>“It’s not?” Lucifer asked hopefully. That had been his greatest fear ever since he’d learned he had a son. </p><p>“No. It’s not. It’s just…hard.”</p><p>“And that’s normal in these situations,” Linda told them. “And completely understandable. That’s why I’m here to help.”</p><p>“Can I…ask something?” Lucifer said hesitantly. Linda gestured to Marcus to answer who just shrugged. “What question did you pull from the box last week that made you quit?” </p><p>Marcus sighed and looked down and away, but felt like his father deserved an answer after all this. “Who did you most look up to as a child and why?” </p><p>Lucifer nodded and wasn’t going to ask him to answer it. Linda had no such qualms though, having a good idea based on what happened after and thought that talking about it could be healing for both of them. “And who was it?” she asked gently. </p><p>Marcus’ eyes flickered to Lucifer. “M-my father was always this larger than life hero. The stories my mom would tell about him and how kind and generous and protective he was…I just…kept waiting for him to come and protect me.” </p><p>“So you looked up to him for that, but you felt like he let you down,” Linda said, getting a nod. </p><p>Lucifer reached out a hand to his son’s shoulder. “I would give anything to have been there. I would have ripped Adam and Abel to pieces for ever daring to harm you, and anyone else that ever mistreated you.”</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>By the time they left Linda’s office, they did feel much closer and Marcus said, “You’re right. She is good.” </p><p>“Naturally. You think I’d waste my time with someone who wasn’t the best?” Lucifer replied, not realizing that Linda could still hear them and she just beamed at that. </p><p>On the way to the station they both got separate texts detouring them to a new crime scene where a ballerina was murdered. Ella and Chloe were already there. Neither of them asked how therapy went though since there were other people around and while Lucifer wouldn’t care if everyone knew, Marcus would. Not to mention how they would explain having therapy together. It wasn’t like anyone would believe that Marcus was Lucifer’s son. </p><p>A couple days later, they were working the case and Marcus and Lucifer were going over some evidence while Chloe was stepped out and Marcus told his father, “So I’m thinking about asking Chloe to marry me.” </p><p>“Really? That’s great!” Lucifer told him. </p><p>“You’re not going to say anything about it being too soon?” </p><p>“Well given that I just bought a ring this morning for Ella, it would be rather hypocritical of me to do so,” Lucifer chuckled. </p><p>“You did? /You/?” </p><p>“Well, yes. The thing about humans is that their life span is so short that once you find one you want to keep, you should make it official as soon as they’ll let you,” Lucifer told him. </p><p>Marcus couldn’t help but laugh at his wording. “Yeah, I get that. I just never really pictured you as the marrying type.” </p><p>Lucifer shrugged. “Never really had anyone that I wanted to spend that much time with before. Well, other than your mother of course, but that was a rather complicated situation.” </p><p>“So you approve then? Of me asking Chloe? Not that I need your approval of course, but…”</p><p>“I completely approve, son,” Lucifer cut him off amusedly. “I’ll get you the info of my jeweler even. He’ll put the ring on my account.” </p><p>“No thanks. I mean the jeweler’s info I’ll take, but I can buy the ring myself.” </p><p>“If that’s what you want, and I know that you have enough money yourself, just keep in mind that I have more so if you ever need or want anything…”</p><p>“I know. Thanks,” Marcus told him. He had no intention of sponging off his father no matter how much money he had. They both waited until the end of the case to pop their respective questions and both got yesses. </p><p>Chloe, Ella, and Linda had a girl’s night the next night and Linda was the one to ask them both, “You’re really ready to get married to them? Already?”</p><p>Ella was the first to answer. “I’ve loved Lucifer practically since the moment we met almost two years ago, and I consider myself lucky that he feels the same way. I can’t see that ever changing and I don’t think that any of us can dispute the fact that he’s a good man and will always treat me right.” </p><p>“No, he definitely will,” Chloe told her. “I never really pictured him settling down with anyone, but he never breaks a promise so once he’s committed he’s all in. Marcus is pretty much the same way. It must run in the family,” she chuckled. </p><p>“You realize that once we’re both married, you’ll be my step-daughter-in-law,” Ella laughed. </p><p>“Oh god! And Lucifer will be my father-in-law,” Chloe said in mock horror, making Ella and Linda nearly fall off their seats in laughter. </p><p>“And he’ll have even more of an excuse to spoil your daughter rotten,” Linda pointed out. </p><p>“Oh crap!” her eyes widened. “Ella you better get on giving him another kid of his own to spoil,” Chloe teased. </p><p>“If it were up to me, I’d give him one right away,” Ella laughed. She’d always wanted kids and there would be no better father than Lucifer. Just the way he was handling this thing with Marcus was enough proof of that. </p><p>“You haven’t talked about it?” Linda asked curiously. </p><p>“We kinda have. A little bit. He’s worried though. About the same thing happening again. Him being dragged back to hell and taken away from his child.” </p><p>“Does he think that’s likely?” Chloe asked worriedly. </p><p>“Not really. His father doesn’t actually pay much attention anymore, but just the possibility scares him.” </p><p>“I’ll see if I can help him work through that,” Linda offered. </p><p>“I’d appreciate that,” Ella said before turning to Chloe. “What about you and Marcus? Any kids on the horizon?” </p><p>“He wants them, but he doesn’t know if he can. He’s never been able to before and he’s not sure if it’s because he’s a bit of a hybrid himself or if it had to do with the curse.”</p><p>“And do you want them?” Linda asked. </p><p>“When Trixie was younger I always wanted a brother or sister for her to grow up with. Now that she’s older though it’s different. I wouldn’t mind another child, but I’m not dying for one so I figure we’ll just let nature take it’s course and see what happens.” </p><p>“Makes sense,” Ella told her. “Oh! Did you know that Lucifer pitched a double wedding idea to Marcus?” Ella asked amusedly. </p><p>Linda almost snorted her drink out of her nose as Chloe replied. “No, Marcus didn’t tell me that.”</p><p>“Probably because he shot Lucifer down cold,” Ella told her. </p><p>“Lucifer really does take the whole father/son thing a little too far sometimes,” Linda laughed. </p><p>Ella shrugged. “I think it’s cute. He just wants to do everything he can with his son to make up for lost time. I mean, I’m glad Marcus said no so I didn’t have to, but it’s still cute.”</p><p>“It kinda is,” Chloe told her. “I’m glad they’re getting along better now though. They need each other.” </p><p>“And we have you to thank for it, Linda,” Ella said offering a toast to their friendly celestial therapist. </p><p>Linda laughed. “They did most of the work. I just steered a bit.”</p><p>In the end they decided to split the weddings by a month, Chloe and Marcus going first since they’d been together longer. Their wedding would be in three weeks and then they’d take a month long honeymoon with Marcus showing her some of his favorite places in Europe. Then they would come back in time for Lucifer and Ella’s wedding. </p><p>Lucifer stood up with Marcus at the wedding and Ella was the maid of honor. They wanted Linda to be in the wedding too, but the only other option for a second man on Marcus’ side was Dan and none of them liked that idea. It was a small wedding and after some argument Marcus agreed to let Lucifer pay for it, if only because it made it easier to pull off so fast. </p><p>It was a week after Chloe and Marcus’ wedding when Ella woke up sick for the first time. Neither of them were worried about it though. Things like that happened. When it kept happening, they did start to get worried and a week later Ella had a doctor’s appointment. Lucifer, naturally, went with her and when the doctor told them they were having a baby he plopped down in the chair that a quick nurse put behind him before they were given some time alone. “You gonna be okay to drive home there, Lu?” she asked amusedly, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand that was still in hers. </p><p>“A baby…” Lucifer breathed out. </p><p>“A-are you okay with this?” Ella asked biting her lip nervously, losing the joking manner. Her answer was a breathtaking kiss that she eagerly returned. </p><p>“I love you, Ella, and I love this baby already, but I’m still scared. What if I mess it all up again?” </p><p>“You won’t,” Ella said, reaching her hand to his cheek. “And even if the worst does happen, which it won’t, I’ll make sure this baby knows that you would be here if you possibly could. I’ll make sure he or she knows that it wasn’t your decision to leave. That they won’t hate you when you do eventually find your way home.”</p><p>“I don’t want to miss anything this time,” he told her, tears filling his eyes. </p><p>“I know, sweetie. And now that you’ve taught Marcus how to fly to different dimensions, he can come get you even if your father takes your wings away. We won’t let you miss anything.” </p><p>On the way home, Ella texted Chloe and Linda, and snuck Lucifer’s phone to get Amenadiel’s number and text him too. Lucifer may not be speaking to him right now, but he was still his brother. Once they got home, Lucifer helped her all the way up to the couch and she just rolled her eyes. “Lucifer, honey, I love you, but if you keep treating me like I’m made of glass I’m going to punch you.” </p><p>Lucifer chuckled and shrugged. “Sorry. I’m not sure how to handle this,” he admitted. </p><p>“Just treat me like normal. I’m not going to break. Women have been having babies since…well…since your first son actually,” she laughed. “Unless a doctor tells us there’s something to worry about, I’m fine.” </p><p>Before he could respond the elevator opened again and Amenadiel stepped out. “Hello brother.”</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucifer shifted himself between Amenadiel and Ella. “If you’ve come to curse another child of mine you’re going to have to wait a few months,” he said sarcastically. </p><p>“I haven’t,” Amenadiel told him, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace. “Just the opposite actually, but before we talk about that, there’s something else I need to tell you.”</p><p>“Then talk,” Lucifer said tensely. </p><p>“I think I’m gonna go lay down for a little while,” Ella told Lucifer, realizing that he would be a lot more comfortable if she wasn’t in the room. It was understandable that he would be more protective given the history there. Lucifer nodded and when he didn’t even look away from Amenadiel long enough to give her a kiss, she knew that he was more on edge that she’d thought. She gave Amenadiel a nod and a smile before heading to the bedroom. </p><p>Once she was gone, Lucifer relaxed a lot, but not completely. “Well?” </p><p>“I figured out something recently that you should know,” Amenadiel started. “We celestials are more like humans than we thought. Just as their levels of guilt send them to heaven or hell, ours determine our status as well.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Lucifer asked confused. </p><p>“I’m falling because of my guilt. Because I feel like I deserve to fall. You got your wings back and lost your devil face because you felt better about yourself after sending Mom to her own universe rather than waging war on heaven.”</p><p>Lucifer considered that for a moment. “And then my devil face came back when I learned that I had abandoned my son,” he said thoughtfully, noticing Amenadiel’s wince at that. “And Cain got his wings back when he started warming up to me and found family with the detective and her spawn. It makes sense.” </p><p>“Yes, and I believe that it has to do with conception as well. You never had any children with the multitudes that shared your bed because you didn’t want to, but some part of you did want to this time.”</p><p>Lucifer nodded. “That’s better than any explanation I’ve come up with. I would assume that would work the same with my son so I should make sure he’s aware of that.” </p><p>“Yes, now that the curse is removed, it would likely work that way as well.”</p><p>“So the curse /was/ keeping him sterile?” Lucifer asked with narrowed eyes at his brother. Just one more crime he’d committed. Perhaps if he’d had a child or two to spend his eternity with it wouldn’t have been so bad for him. </p><p>“It was,” Amenadiel admitted. </p><p>“Thank you for the information, but that can’t be the only reason you’re here,” Lucifer said. “Unless you got your wings back and intend to take me back to hell,” his eyes widened as he realized the possibility. “If that’s the case, then I swear I will kill you before I allow that to happen.”</p><p>Amenadiel shook his head. “No, Luci. I’m not here to take you back to hell or anywhere else. Just the opposite in fact. I know now how much I hurt both you and your son, and you deserved better. I want to make amends the only way I can. I want you to take /me/ to hell.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Lucifer asked in shock and he could hear a gasp from the bedroom that told them Ella could hear everything. </p><p>“With a celestial on the throne of hell, no one can possibly send you back,” Amenadiel told him. “The demons do need a king and it can’t be you anymore. I won’t /allow/ you to carry that burden anymore. Not now. This is my way to make amends, and perhaps one day I will regain my wings and be able to visit.”</p><p>Lucifer narrowed his eyes in scrutiny, trying to see if his brother was serious. When he realized that he was, Lucifer nodded. “Alright. If you’ll wait until after my wedding,” Lucifer agreed. </p><p>“You want me at the wedding?” he asked in surprise. </p><p>“I want you to be /in/ the wedding. Cain will be by my side as he should as my son, but we would like Linda to be a bridesmaid which means we need a groomsman to match her,” Lucifer told him. </p><p>“I would be honored brother,” Amenadiel agreed. </p><p>Lucifer grabbed one of the spare invitations and handed it to him. “Be there two hours early,” he said in clear dismissal. He was willing to take a step, but not fully forgive him yet. </p><p>“I won’t let you down again, Luci,” Amenadiel said solemnly as he stepped into the elevator to leave. </p><p>Once he was gone, Ella came up behind the chair Lucifer was sitting in and wrapped her arms around his neck. “That was a nice gesture,” she told him. “But now I’m gonna have to get Linda shopping for a bridesmaid dress tomorrow.”</p><p>Lucifer chuckled and pulled her around to fall over the arm of the chair into his lap. “If he’s truly willing to take over the throne of hell for me, then how could I do any less.”</p><p>Ella rewarded him with a kiss which soon had him carrying her to the bedroom…after being assured that sex wouldn’t hurt the baby. </p><p>Linda was touched to be added to the ceremony and she quickly realized that was the only reason that Amenadiel was asked to be in the wedding. After his gesture, she didn’t doubt that Lucifer would have invited him, but he was only asked to participate so that she could. Since she was the only bridesmaid, she got to pick the dress she wanted. The style anyway. The color had to coordinate with Chloe’s. </p><p>While Marcus and Chloe were touring through Rome they were approached by a priest that gave Chloe the creeps, but since Marcus was with her, she agreed to hear him out. When he started talking about Lucifer being evil and needing to be sent back to hell, only Chloe’s hand on Marcus’ arm stopped him from punching the priest. He did say, “that’s my father you’re talking about and he will go back to hell over my dead body.”</p><p>With that comment they walked away, and heard the priest gasp in horror and say, “The antichrist walks the Earth!” They didn’t notice him collapse holding his chest since they were getting as far away as they could from the crazy guy. </p><p>Marcus shook his head at his comment though and said, “Little does he know the so-called antichrist has been walking the earth since the beginning.” Chloe couldn’t help but giggle at that. </p><p>It was the next day when Chloe got the text from Ella and squealed. “Ella’s pregnant! You’re going to have a brother or sister.” </p><p>Marcus smiled, though he tried to hide it. He just hoped his father managed to do it right this time. Later on that day Marcus’ phone rang and when he saw it was his father, he answered quickly. “I hear congratulations are in order.”</p><p>“Thank you, son. I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to replace you though…”</p><p>“I know, Dad. And thanks,” Marcus cut him off. “It will be nice to have a sibling that hopefully won’t hate me.” </p><p>“This child won’t hate you if I have anything to say about it,” Lucifer assured him. “But I’m also calling to let you know I got a visit from Amenadiel.”</p><p>“Oh?” Marcus asked. Lucifer gave him the rundown of the whole conversation, including that he had been sterile from the mark but wasn’t anymore and the desire to conceive would do the trick. “You do realize we don’t have to do /everything/ together right?” he joked rolling his eyes. In this case though, his father would likely get his wish…if he hadn’t already. </p><p>Lucifer laughed. “I know. But I assumed you would appreciate a heads up, whichever way you wish to go.” </p><p>“I appreciate that,” Marcus told him. “Oh and Chloe and I had an encounter with a crazy priest yesterday.” </p><p>“That sounds like fun.”</p><p>“I almost punched him,” Marcus said before giving the whole story, minus the heart attack that they didn’t know about. </p><p>Lucifer laughed again. “The antichrist. Really. I swear some of the things humans come up with are hilarious.” </p><p>“I know. I thought that part was pretty funny too. And now there’s another little antichrist on the way.”</p><p>“Hmm. Maybe we should put that on the list of names,” Lucifer joked. </p><p>“Over my dead body,” Marcus heard Ella exclaim.</p><p>“Hi Ella!” he called with a laugh. </p><p>“Ooh lemme talk!” Chloe said holding out her hand for the phone. </p><p>“I guess the wives wanna talk now. I’ll see you when we get home, Dad,” Marcus told him. </p><p>“See you then, son,” Lucifer said before they both handed the phones over to the wives, or almost wife in Lucifer’s case. Both men said at the same time, from different continents, “You know you have a phone of your own to talk to her on, right?” Both women, hearing the other through the phone, burst into hysterical laughter, neither of them sharing with their men why.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Marcus took Chloe to a doctor only to find that yes, she was actually pregnant. Upon comparing, her due date was two weeks after Ella’s and they joked about having the babies on the same day, making Lucifer laugh and Marcus roll his eyes. When they got home almost two weeks later, Marcus finalized the arrangements for Lucifer’s bachelor party which he intended to rival the one his father had thrown him. Ella’s bachelorette party was much more stale since both the bride and the maid of honor were pregnant and thus couldn’t drink, but they still had a lot of fun. </p><p>The wedding went off without a hitch unless you count the morning sickness that had it starting twenty minutes late. Lucifer had been ready to climb the walls but his son and his brother managed to keep his feet on the ground. Barely. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception even better. After the reception, Lucifer took a few minutes, Earth time that is, to take Amenadiel down to hell and turn the throne over to him. The hug that Lucifer gave him before leaving was enough to make it worth it to Amenadiel. Maze greeted him warmly and took her spot to his right as she always had with Lucifer and he allowed it. She was obviously the best if Lucifer relied on her for so long. </p><p>When Lucifer got home, he had time for a quick shower to wash the hell off of himself before they had to catch their flight for their honeymoon. They were doing a tour of South America with recommendations of places to visit from Marcus. Lucifer had insisted on an OB appointment before they left, partially to make sure she was covered for the trip, barring emergencies, and partially to make sure with the doctor that it was safe for her to go, which had Ella rolling her eyes, but allowing it. That had been two days before the wedding. </p><p>By the time they got home, Ella and Chloe were both sporting slight baby bumps, but everyone was back to work now. Lucifer was just glad that he didn’t have to partner with detective douche anymore, and Chloe was secretly glad of the same thing. Ella ended up having to take leave at the six month mark of her pregnancy since the smells of some of the chemicals she used in the lab kept making her sick. She was mostly over the morning sickness aspect as long as she could avoid the triggering smells. Chloe was also on desk duty now, which mean that Lucifer was partnering with Dan again. </p><p>Over the course of their wives’ pregnancies, Lucifer and Marcus got even closer, often needing to escape the mood swings and get a drink together. They continued their family counselling with Linda right up until the babies were born before they decided that they didn’t have time for it anymore and would be okay alone. While Lucifer was no longer her patient, he assured Linda that he was and would always be her friend. Trixie was more than excited to have a new baby brother or sister as well as a new aunt or uncle. She had started calling Lucifer grandpa at the wedding and he had laughed and hugged her. She hadn’t worked up the nerve to start calling Ella grandma yet though. </p><p>The big thing on everyone’s minds was the speculation on what Marcus and Chloe’s baby would be like. It would only be a quarter angel so everything was up in the air. Lucifer suspected that the baby would likely be immortal since the divinity wouldn’t be likely to weaken that much with one generation, but the wing status and vulnerability were anyone’s guess. </p><p>Neither couple wanted to know the sex of their baby so they were kept in the dark. Ella went into labor first, a few days after her due date and Lucifer flew her to the hospital since it would be quicker that way. Marcus, Chloe, Trixie, and Linda all headed over as well and traipsed in and out of the room for the rest of the day. Just after ten pm a healthy baby girl was born and Lucifer leaned on the side of the bed, holding his wife and daughter in his arms as the tears leaked from his eyes. After a few minutes, the nurses told him they needed to get Ella cleaned up and moved, so Lucifer took that opportunity to take the baby to meet the rest of the family. </p><p>“Everyone meet Astra Elena Morningstar,” he said with a smile. </p><p>“What does the name mean?” Linda asked, knowing how much thought they had been putting into the meaning of the names. </p><p>“Astra means of the stars since I made the stars and Elena means light. So she’s the light of the stars,” Lucifer told them before turning to Marcus. “Would you like to be the first to hold your sister?” </p><p>“Can I?” he asked brightly, holding out his arms for Lucifer to place her there. </p><p>“Hey there Astra. I’m your big brother,” he said with a smile as the baby yawned. Everyone got to hold her for a few minutes, even Trixie, before she started crying to be fed. </p><p>“I should get her back to Ella,” Lucifer said. </p><p>“Yeah, and I should get Chloe home to rest,” Marcus said with a nod. </p><p>“Not so fast,” Chloe told him, gripping his arm tightly. “I think we might need to stick around for a while.” </p><p>“Oh for the love of…grandpa,” Marcus sighed. “Just please don’t have the baby until after midnight at least?” </p><p>Lucifer laughed and headed back to Ella so she could feed the baby. She had decided to breasfeed for the first two months until she went back to work at least, and possibly pump after that, but she wasn’t sure yet. Lucifer had decided to quit the precinct and stay with the baby. He would be needed especially once the wings came in and he could do the work for Lux from the penthouse. </p><p>Once the baby had eaten, Ella was soon asleep and Lucifer sat beside her, just holding his daughter happily. A few hours later, just as Ella was finishing up the next feeding, there was a soft knock on the door and Marcus came in holding a little blue bundle. “Oh good. I didn’t wake you up,” Marcus said relieved. Linda had taken Trixie for the night and would bring her in the morning to meet her new brother so he just had his father and step-mother in the hospital to introduce to his son. </p><p>“A boy?” Lucifer asked with a smile. “I have a grandson.”</p><p>“Yeah. Aaron Lucas Pierce,” he told his father. </p><p>Lucifer only didn’t hug the stuffing out of his son because of the baby in his arms and instead put both hands on either side of Marcus’ face and kissed his forehead. “I don’t even have words for how much that means to me, son.”</p><p>Marcus smiled. “Would you like to hold him?” </p><p>“Try and stop me,” Lucifer said with a grin. </p><p>“What does the name mean?” Ella asked. </p><p>“Aaron means lightbringer,” Lucifer answered for Marcus. </p><p>“And Lucas just means light,” Marcus finished. </p><p>Ella nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. Lucifer asked Marcus, “Would it be too much togetherness if I made arrangements for Chloe to share this room?”</p><p>“No. Not this time. I’m sure the wives would love nothing more.” </p><p>Lucifer smiled and handed Marcus back his son before going to do just that. Ten minutes later, Chloe was wheeled in, looking exhausted but happy. “You did this?” she asked Lucifer with a laugh when she saw her roommate. </p><p>Both men sat in the corner of the room, cuddling their children and talking softly as their wives slept. “At least he was born after midnight so they have a different birthday.” </p><p>Lucifer chuckled and nodded. “I can see where that might be a bit much.” </p><p>“Thank you, Dad. For everything. You may have missed most of my life, but you’ve been here for the most important part,” Marcus told him, feeling a little emotional at the moment. </p><p>“And I won’t miss a moment more. Of your life, your son’s, or my daughter’s,” Lucifer promised as they traded babies. The sun was coming up when the two of them passed out on the couches after the five am feedings and the women both laughed as the babies finally got to see the nursery and they went back to sleep. </p><p>Ella and Chloe were both released with the babies two days later and went to their respective homes. Lucifer offered to keep Aaron when Chloe went back to work in two months since he would have his own too. “How much more difficult could two babies be than one?” he asked, not understanding the hysterical laughter that met his question. </p><p>“Don’t worry, Dad. It’ll be almost summer by then so Trix will be around to help you,” Marcus said patting his still confused father on the back.</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seven years later:</p><p>Amenadiel stepped into the elevator at Lux and was surprised to find a security system installed. There was a button below what looked like a speaker so he pressed it curiously. A moment later, another button on the keypad lit up and the elevator started moving on it’s own, and not to the penthouse like he had suspected, but only two floors above this one. He stepped out curiously into what could only be described as pure chaos. “Welcome, brother. I’m guessing since you’re here, you’ve gotten your wings back?” </p><p>“I have,” Amenadiel told him, still looking in awe at all the children of various ages flying around. “What is this?” </p><p>“Oh. Right. I had the ceilings removed from these three floors other than the load bearing beams so that the kids could learn to fly safely. The floor above this is the bedrooms for the kids, and then the penthouse.”</p><p>“These are all yours?” Amenadiel asked in surprise. </p><p>“Oh, no. Only four of them are mine. The other two are my grandchildren,” Lucifer told him. “Hang on.” He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled and all the kids landed. </p><p>“Who’s that?” Astra asked. </p><p>“This is your uncle Amenadiel. My brother,” Lucifer told them. “Amenadiel, this is my daughter Astra and my grandson Aaron. They’re seven. Tarak and Diego, my twins are five. My granddaughter Celeste is four, and my youngest, Amanda is three,” he introduced the kids. </p><p>“Amanda?” Amenadiel asked taking a sharp breath. </p><p>“Well it is thanks to you that I’ll never have to leave them brother,” Lucifer told him only to be pulled into a hug that he returned with a chuckle. Once he was released, Lucifer told him, “You’re just in time. Cain, Chloe, and Ella should be here in about half an hour.” </p><p>“I have missed them. All of you. Your family is beautiful, Luci.” </p><p>“Thank you,” Lucifer told him as he steered all the children for the elevator, stopping on the floor below the penthouse for them to get out and get cleaned up for dinner. “Since it’s Friday night, we’re doing the big family dinner tonight, which these days usually means pizza delivery,” Lucifer chuckled as the elevator continued for the penthouse. </p><p>“I’m surprised that your grandchildren can fly,” Amenadiel said taking the drink that Lucifer handed him, enjoying the taste of it after so long in hell. </p><p>“So were we. We weren’t sure if they would, but sure enough, on their first birthday they both started sprouting wings. In fact, as far as we can tell, and Ella has tested their blood too, they are no different than Cain. Full Nephilim. It will be interesting to see how far down the bloodlines it goes before it becomes diluted enough to be human.” </p><p>“Yes, I would be interested to see that as well,” Amenadiel told him. </p><p>“How long were you able to get away for?” Lucifer asked curiously. </p><p>“I planned to stay for one Earth week if I’m welcome.”</p><p>“You’re perfectly welcome. We have a guest room on the kid’s floor if you want it or Chloe and Cain have a guest room as well, or I could set you up at one of my other properties while you’re here. Whichever you like.” </p><p>“I’ll stay here if you’re sure it’s no trouble,” Amenadiel offered. </p><p>“No trouble at all. It’ll be nice to have some help with the kids for a little while,” he said with a laugh. </p><p>“Do you always take care of them alone?” Amenadiel asked curiously. </p><p>“During the week, yes. Mostly. Beatrice comes by to help when she can, but with her graduation coming up, she’s rather busy these days. I consider myself lucky that she still makes the Friday dinners. I can do the work on Lux from here and most days the children allow it as long as I promise to take them flying for a few hours afterwards. It’s easier since most of them are in school during the day now.”</p><p>“I would never have imagined you of all people being a caregiver of children,” Amenadiel laughed. </p><p>“Neither would I have, but I missed so much with Cain and I don’t want to miss a moment with any more of my children or grandchildren. I just never thought I would enjoy it so much.” </p><p>“I’m not surprised in the slightest,” Ella said sliding behind him and wrapping her arms around his neck, having successfully snuck up on him again. It didn’t happen often so she enjoyed when she did. “You’ve always been a giver and tried to take care of other people’s wants and needs over your own. You just had to get over your nervousness around children in general.” </p><p>“Welcome home, darling,” Lucifer chuckled turning to steal a kiss. </p><p>“Mommy!” four voices chorused along with another two of, “Nana!” </p><p>Ella grinned and hugged all the kids as she told them and the two men, “Marcus and Chloe should be here soon. They were about ten minutes behind me.”</p><p>“Excellent. The pizza should be here about the time they are then.” </p><p>Lucifer was right, and Chloe and Marcus actually came up carrying the pizza. “We met the delivery guy coming in,” Chloe explained, setting the pizzas on the counter. “Amenadiel!” she said happily, coming over to give him a hug. “You made it to visit?” </p><p>“Yes. I’ll be here for a week,” he told her as he returned Marcus’ polite nod and they all got up to eat, filing into the dining room to sit around the expanded table. </p><p>“Sorry I’m late. I got caught up studying for my physics final,” Trixie said breezing in just as they were sitting down and stopping short at the sight of a new person. “Hi…Amenadiel right?” She had been eleven the last time she’d seen him so it took her a moment. </p><p>“Correct. You have a good memory,” he told her. “It’s nice to see you again Beatrice.” </p><p>“You too,” she said with a smile, taking her own seat at the table. “Hey rugrats,” she greeted all the kids. </p><p>After dinner and getting the kids cleaned up, they pulled out chutes and ladders and Amanda went over to Amenadiel. “Will you play with me?” she asked her namesake shyly.</p><p>“I would love to, but you’re going to have to teach me how,” he told her. </p><p>“I guess that means I get to take a break for the night, since my brother has replaced me and all,” Lucifer joked. </p><p>Ella laughed. “Why don’t you do the soundtrack for the night then.” </p><p>“That’s a wonderful idea, darling,” he said pulling her in for a kiss before heading to the piano to play as everyone else set up the game board. </p><p>Amenadiel tilted his head curiously. “Now there are six children and five adults,” he pointed out as the adults were pairing off with the kids. </p><p>“The twins always play as one. Since they’re telepathic with each other that’s the only way it’s fair,” Ella told him. “It doesn’t matter much for chutes and ladders, but for other games it does.” </p><p>“Fascinating,” Amenadiel said looking closer at the twins. </p><p>“And annoying,” Marcus said amusedly. “They’re always finishing each other’s sentences or just not talking at all.”</p><p>“Not to mention how easy it is for them to plan mischief and cover up for each other right under our noses,” Chloe added. The twins in question just grinned at the descriptions. </p><p>After two games of chutes and ladders, all the children were sent to bed and the adults joined Lucifer in drinking the hard stuff, except for Trixie who naturally stuck with soda since she just turned eighteen. Usually Chloe and Marcus would go home about this time, but they wanted to chat with Amenadiel some more first which was a good thing since Amenadiel had something he wanted to discuss with them. “So I’ve been doing a lot of thinking while I was in hell, and I think I’ve found a way to modify the mark.”</p><p>Marcus stiffened at the mention of it and Trixie tilted her head curiously as Lucifer asked tensely, “Modify it how?” </p><p>“To grant the life extending properties without the curse attached,” he told them. </p><p>“You mean the curse Dad had before him and Mom got together?” Trixie asked and Amenadiel nodded. </p><p>“And you’re telling us this because…” Marcus asked, not daring to hope that he was making an offer. </p><p>“I would be happy to apply it to Chloe and Ella, and even Beatrice if they wish,” he told them. </p><p>“So they would live forever with us?” Lucifer asked, eyes brightening with joy. </p><p>“That’s the idea, yes,” Amenadiel said. </p><p>“It’s up to you, love, but I would love nothing more than to have forever with you,” Lucifer told Ella. </p><p>“What he said,” Marcus told Chloe. </p><p>Both women quickly agreed and looked to Trixie who looked thoughtful. “Is this a one time offer or anything?” she asked. </p><p>“No. I plan to visit at least once a year if all goes well, but at least once every few years. You don’t have to answer now.” </p><p>“Then I’m gonna say not right now. I might decide to later though,” Trixie told him. “But thank you for the offer.” </p><p>Chloe nodded with pride. “That’s very responsible of you monkey not jumping to a decision.” As much as she wished she would never have to lose her daughter, Trixie didn’t have an immortal that she was in love with to live forever with or immortal children. It would be so much harder for her if she took it. </p><p>Trixie smiled at the compliment as Ella asked, “Does the mark have to be obvious like on our arms?” she asked. </p><p>“No, it can be anywhere you wish me to place it,” Amenadiel told them. </p><p>Ella took off her shirt and turned around. “I’ll take it on a shoulder blade then,” she said. It would still be visible at the beach and in certain tank tops, but back there it could be called a cool scar at least. </p><p>Amenadiel placed his hand over the area and applied the mark and then Chloe asked for it on her hip. The six of them sat around chatting for a few more hours before Trixie headed out first. Chloe and Marcus weren’t long behind her though, each carrying a sleeping child, while Lucifer showed Amenadiel to the guest room downstairs.</p>
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